Austin, Texas – A 4 -year -old girl and a targeted employee were identified because the victims were killed in shooting outside a targeted store in Austin, Texas, according to the police.
The suspect, Ethan Ninker, 32, opened fire for the first time at Hector Leopoldo Martinez Machuka, a targeted employee, while collecting vehicles in the parking lot on Monday afternoon, Austin Sergeant Police. Nathan Sixon told a press conference on Tuesday.
Sixon said that Ninker then approached the family’s car, shot the little girl, and Adam Zhao found her slightly injured in Adam Zhao and stole their car.
A non -dated image of Adam Zhao and his granddaughter Astrid, the left, and the police watch the scene near a target after the shooting in Austin, Texas, Monday, August 11, 2025, to the left.
ABC News/AP Photo/Stephen Spillman
Lisa Davis, Austin Police Chief, described her as an “unjustified and intentional attack” on an “innocent life”, adding that he was “in broad daylight.”
When asked if the suspect had given a motive, Sixon said: “He said he was Jesus and there was no reason at all. It was a completely random choice for the victims.”
The Zhao family issued a statement of ABC News on Tuesday, recalling Adam Zhao as “the fixed heart and spine of our family.”
The family said that Astraid, who referred to her grandfather as “Gongjong”, was “absurd and pure joy. She liked to sing and dancing and made us laugh.” “We are broken and miss them a lot.”
After the shooting, Ninker had allegedly escaped from the scene in the stolen car and carried out other crimes, including “causing multiple accidents”, “she assaulted another driver and stole the Volkswagen of her”, in an attempt to storm the Wimo vehicle and prepare the home of one of his acquaintances from studying the Bible.
The officers found Ninker naked. Police said they had sinned with Tasir and took him to the reservation.
Davis said that Ninker, who worked in a restaurant and lived alone, has a history with the Austin Police Department, including the attack, driving his car during mental health reports.
Davis did not explain mental health issues, but he said: “This man had some serious issues,” adding, “There were some serious failures here.”
Sixon said that Ninker faces charges, including two charges of premeditated murder and a first -class felony.
Sixon said that the suspect “was obtained through the family.”
“We have destroyed the violence that happened today,” the target spokesman said in a statement on Monday.
“Our hearts with families and loved ones are those who lost their lives and our team in Austin and all who were affected by this tragedy,” the statement said. “We are working with law enforcement while conducting them and we are first grateful for the respondents who have acted quickly at the scene. In the coming days, we will continue to partnership with the application of the law and we will provide support resources, including the advice of sadness, to our team.”
Austin Travis initially reported four victims, but this number was later corrected.
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