A mass taking pictures outdoors an Austin, Texas, bar has left three folks useless — together with the suspected gunman — and one other 14 significantly injured, Us Weekly confirms.
Gunfire broke out throughout the early morning hours of Sunday, March 1, outdoors Buford’s, a well-liked beer backyard on West Sixth and Rio Grande streets, Austin Police mentioned.
In line with authorities, officers responded to the scene simply earlier than 1:40 a.m. and eradicated the suspected gunman, whose identify has not been publicly launched.
Police additionally haven’t launched the names of the deceased victims.
Eyewitness video shared on social media and allegedly captured from the scene seems to indicate officers pinning a person to the bottom whereas emergency medical staff rendered support.
The individual recording the footage claims “that’s the piece of s**t” who shot up the bar.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis spoke to the media at 5 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. press conferences and mentioned that first responders have been on the scene lower than a minute after the primary 911 calls have been acquired by dispatch describing a “male shooter” on the well-liked nightspot.
“They positively saved lives,” Davis mentioned.
Authorities confronted a person fleeing the scene with a gun upon arrival and “returned hearth, killing the shooter,” Davis defined.
EMS Chief Robert Luckritz mentioned that three folks have been discovered useless on the scene, whereas 14 others have been injured and transported to close by hospitals. Three of the wounded, he mentioned, have been listed in important situation.
“We acquired a name at 1:39 a.m. and inside 57 seconds, the primary paramedics and officers have been on scene actively treating the sufferers,” Luckritz informed reporters.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson additionally spoke to reporters, applauding the fast response of the town’s cops and EMTs.
“I’m very grateful for the pace with which our public security officers responded to this,” mentioned Watson. “I don’t suppose there’s any query that it saved lives.”
Members of the Austin Police Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have been nonetheless on the scene of the taking pictures late Sunday morning. A pistol and a rifle have been each mentioned to have been recovered from the scene.
Regulation enforcement sources declare to CBS Information that the shooter has a historical past of psychological well being points and are presently investigating whether or not the shooter was influenced by extremist ideology, particularly Islamic extremism.
An official motive for the mass taking pictures stays unclear.
“My condolences to these which have been touched by this. This can be a tragic, tragic incident,” Davis mentioned.
Anybody trying to reconnect with family members ought to name the Austin Police sufferer providers unit at (512) 974-5037.
If in case you have any details about witnesses to the taking pictures or movies that will have captured what occurred can submit the proof right here.
Tipsters also can name Austin Police at (512) 974-TIPS. You could submit your suggestions anonymously by the Capital Space Crime Stoppers Program by calling (512) 472-8477.