Crime
Austin Target shooting suspect identified as 32-year-old Ethan Nieneker
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Authorities have identified 32-year-old Ethan Blaine Nieneker as the suspect in a deadly shooting that left three people dead and one injured, including a child, at a Target parking lot in north Austin on Monday afternoon.
Nieneker, described by police as a dangerous habitual offender with a prior criminal history in Texas, was taken into custody following a multi-vehicle carjacking spree and a police pursuit.
According to the Austin Police Department (APD), the first 911 call reporting the shooting came in at approximately 2:15 p.m.
Officers arrived at the Target located at 8601 Research Boulevard by 2:19 p.m., where they discovered four victims who had been shot in the store’s parking lot.
Three of those victims — whose names and ages have not yet been released — were pronounced dead at the scene.
The fourth victim, a child, sustained injuries but survived.
Police said Nieneker, described as a white male wearing khaki shorts and a Hawaiian-style shirt, opened fire on shoppers before carjacking a vehicle in the parking lot.
One of the victims is believed to have been the vehicle’s owner.
After fleeing the scene, Nieneker crashed the stolen car and then hijacked a second vehicle from a Volkswagen dealership.
The suspect led officers on a pursuit spanning approximately 18 miles before being intercepted by police on La Costa Drive, in south Austin.
Officers deployed a Taser to subdue Nieneker, who was taken into custody without further gunfire.
APD Chief Lisa Davis confirmed in a late-afternoon press briefing that the suspect’s motive remains under investigation but noted he was already known to police and had documented mental health concerns.
She also emphasized that charges against him are pending.
Due to the ongoing investigation, vehicles parked at the Target remain inaccessible until crime scene processing is complete.
Police have urged the public to avoid the area, citing road closures in the 8000 block of MoPac Southbound Frontage Road between Executive Center Drive and Anderson Lane.
Anyone with additional information regarding the shooting is encouraged to contact APD or submit tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
City of Hammond, Louisiana — At approximately 11:50 p.m. on February 24, 2026, officers with the Hammond Police Department responded to a report of shots fired involving one possible victim.
Upon arrival, officers located a 14-year-old juvenile female, identified as Tyronai Reed, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
Emergency medical assistance was rendered at the scene, and she was transported to North Oaks Health System for treatment.
Despite life-saving efforts, Reed later succumbed to her injuries.
Detectives assigned to the department’s Criminal Investigations Division launched an immediate homicide investigation.
During the course of their investigation, authorities identified 18-year-old Demontez Treyvon “Trey” Robinson of Hammond as a suspect in the shooting.
While actively working the case, officers observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed and conducted a traffic stop.
Robinson was identified as the driver of the vehicle and was taken into custody without incident.
Robinson was transported to the Criminal Investigations Division for questioning. According to investigators, Robinson admitted that the firearm discharged while he was handling or “playing with” it, resulting in the single round striking the 14-year-old victim.
Robinson was subsequently booked into the Hammond City Jail on one count of Negligent Homicide.
Authorities emphasize that the investigation remains in its early stages and additional details may be released as they become available.
Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Corey Morse with the Hammond Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 985-277-5758 or via email at morse_cm@hammond.org. Tips may also be submitted through the department’s official Facebook page or anonymously through Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa at 1-800-554-5245.
Individuals providing information may be eligible for a cash reward. Authorities urge members of the community to assist in the ongoing investigation.