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.
Crime
Noemi Hernandez, Mother of Four Murdered By Her Husband Hector Luvianos Two Days Before Christmas
BATAVIA, Ill. — A devastating domestic homicide has left a family and community in mourning just days before Christmas.
Noemi Hernandez, a devoted mother of four, was fatally attacked in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Dec. 23, in what prosecutors allege was a violent act committed by her husband.
The incident occurred at an apartment building in the 100 block of Church Street in Batavia.
According to court records and police reports, at approximately 4:37 a.m., Batavia police were dispatched after a man contacted emergency dispatchers and stated that he had killed his wife.
Responding officers located the man outside the apartment building and took him into custody without incident.
When officers entered the apartment, they found Hernandez suffering from severe, life-threatening injuries.
First responders immediately attempted life-saving measures; however, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities identified the suspect as Hector B. Luvianos, 37, who was transported to the Batavia Police Department for questioning.
With assistance from the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force, investigators determined the incident was domestic-related and involved only the two individuals. Police emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
On Dec. 24, 2025, Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser and Batavia Police Chief Eric Blowers announced that Luvianos has been formally charged with first-degree murder, a Class M felony under Illinois law.
He appeared in court the same day for a pretrial detention hearing, after which a judge ordered him held in the Kane County Jail while the case proceeds.
The Kane County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene, and an autopsy is scheduled to determine the official cause and manner of Hernandez’s death.
In the wake of the tragedy, Hernandez’s family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral and related expenses.
In the fundraiser, the family described Noemi as “the heart of her family,” noting that she worked tirelessly, loved deeply, and always placed her children first. Her sudden death, they wrote, has left the family emotionally devastated and financially unprepared.
As an immigrant family with limited resources and no life insurance, they now face the burden of funeral and cremation costs, legal fees, and other unexpected expenses, all while supporting four children grieving the loss of their mother.
The family is asking for community support to allow them to lay Noemi to rest with dignity and focus on healing rather than financial hardship.
The investigation remains ongoing.