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
28-year-old man found shot to death on Chicago South Side

CHICAGO — Authorities have launched an investigation following a fatal overnight shooting that occurred on the city’s South Side, leaving one man dead.
According to the Chicago Police Department, the incident took place shortly after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 100 block of West 44th Street, within the Grand Boulevard neighborhood.
Officers were dispatched to the scene after receiving reports of gunfire and a person shot.
Upon arrival, officers discovered a 28-year-old man lying unresponsive on the ground with a gunshot wound to the head.
The victim was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Police have not yet released the identity of the victim, and the circumstances leading up to the shooting remain under investigation. No arrests have been made at this time.
Detectives from the CPD Area One unit are leading the investigation. Anyone with information is urged to contact Area One detectives at 312-747-8380 or call 911.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted online at CPDtip.com to assist investigators.