The man accused of carrying out a killing spree that resulted in the deaths of six individuals in Austin and San Antonio had been previously known to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Department. Shane Matthew James Jr., who now faces charges of capital murder, had a history of family violence charges, and authorities have confirmed that two of his victims were his own parents.
At present, the motive behind the shootings remains unclear, and apart from James’ parents, no apparent connection has been found between him and the other victims. In addition to the six fatalities, at least three individuals were injured, including two police officers.
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Interim Austin Police Chief Robin Henderson stated, “Based on information obtained during our investigations, we strongly believe that one suspect is responsible for all of the incidents. The suspect is now in custody and no longer poses a threat to our Austin community.”
The first encounter with the suspect occurred on Tuesday morning when a police officer was shot in the leg near a high school in northeast Austin. An hour later, in a different neighborhood, a handyman was fatally shot during a carjacking, and a woman who attempted to intervene also lost her life. Six miles away, a bicyclist was shot and wounded.
Further violence unfolded when police responded to a burglary call at an Austin residence. Two individuals were shot and killed during the incident, and a responding officer was injured. The chaotic events concluded with James being apprehended after a high-speed chase, during which his identity and a Bexar County address were revealed.
A subsequent search of James’ residence led to a horrifying discovery, as Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar described hearing on a police radio. “It was evident at that point that they found blood and the victims in a small room within the house itself,” he stated.
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The deceased individuals have been identified as James’ parents, who the sheriff revealed had also been victims of domestic assault perpetrated by their son in January 2022. The last confirmed sighting of them was on Monday night, prior to the shooting spree in Austin. James had an outstanding warrant related to that case, and he now faces additional charges.
Public records indicate that James had a prior criminal case in Tarrant County in 2017, during which he was arrested by the Fort Worth Police Department on a misdemeanor trespass charge. At the time, he appeared to be residing in Mansfield.
