Crime
Three victims killed in Austin Target shooting identified
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Authorities have released harrowing new details about a violent shooting rampage in north Austin that left three people dead, including a grandfather and his 4-year-old granddaughter, and one other person injured.
Police say the suspect, 32-year-old Ethan Blaine Nieneker, was arrested Monday afternoon following a chaotic series of shootings, carjackings, assaults, and erratic behavior that ended with him being subdued by officers using a Taser.
The victims have been identified as Héctor Leopoldo Martínez Machuca, 24, a Target employee; Adam Chow, 65; and his young granddaughter Astrid Fung.
Authorities allege that during the attack, Nieneker forced the little girl to watch him fatally shoot her grandfather before also killing her.
Chow’s wife was injured but survived.
According to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, the violence began at approximately 2:15 p.m. on Monday in the parking lot of the Target store at 8601 Research Boulevard.
Nieneker allegedly shot Machuca as the employee was retrieving shopping carts. Moments later, he fired at a black Jeep attempting to flee before turning his weapon on Chow’s gray Toyota 4Runner.
Police say Chow was shot in the driver’s seat before Nieneker fired into the back seat, striking his granddaughter.
Chow’s wife tried to carry the injured child to safety, but Nieneker allegedly pushed both of them out of the vehicle, took control of the SUV, and sped away.
At around 2:20 p.m., Nieneker approached a water truck stopped along the Mopac Expressway, allegedly assaulted its driver, and attempted to steal the vehicle.
Unable to operate it, he reportedly chased the driver away at gunpoint before returning to the Toyota.
Five minutes later, Nieneker crashed into a Volkswagen and an Infiniti SUV, then allegedly attacked the Volkswagen driver and stole their vehicle.
He drove off, attempted to carjack a self-driving Waymo vehicle, failed, and returned to the stolen Volkswagen.
The suspect’s rampage reportedly continued with property damage. A resident — identified as an acquaintance of Nieneker — claimed a brick was thrown through their window on La Casa Drive.
By 2:58 p.m., witnesses reported seeing Nieneker walking naked through a backyard in the same neighborhood. He then ran into a portable toilet before fleeing again.
Police confronted him minutes later, ordering him to surrender. When he refused, officers deployed Tasers and took him into custody at approximately 3:06 p.m.
Chief Davis confirmed that Nieneker has a documented history of mental illness and an extensive criminal record dating back to 2011.
Prior arrests include assaulting a family member, driving while intoxicated (twice), criminal mischief, and violating a protective order.
Officers arrived at the Target parking lot within four minutes of the initial 911 call. Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third died at a local hospital.
A surviving victim, Chow’s wife, is receiving medical treatment.
Target issued a public statement expressing grief over the tragedy:
“We are devastated by the violence that occurred today at our store in Austin, Texas. Our hearts are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, our team in Austin, and all those impacted by this tragedy. We are grateful to the first responders who acted quickly at the scene and will continue providing support and grief counseling to our team members.”
The investigation remains active, and police have not yet disclosed a motive for the attack.
Anyone with additional information is urged to contact Austin Police Department Homicide Detectives or submit tips anonymously to Crime Stoppers.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subject’s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.