AUSTIN, Texas – A tragic series of events unfolded as a Texas man, Shane James, 34, went on a violent rampage, resulting in the deaths of his parents and four other individuals in Austin and San Antonio. The horrific trail of violence also left two police officers wounded. James was charged with two counts of capital murder after separate attacks in Austin and San Antonio.
This devastating incident shed light on James’ history of mental health problems and previous arrests for assaulting family members. The violence began on a Tuesday morning and ended with James crashing his car that evening during a police pursuit.
The victims in Austin were not immediately identified, and it remains unclear what, if any, relationship James had with them. In addition to the six fatalities, a cyclist in Austin was shot and wounded, and two police officers were recovering from gunshots, including one who was shot in the leg outside of a high school, according to Austin interim Police Chief Robin Henderson.
Thoughts are with the loved ones of the six victims of this heinous crime, shared Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. The attack marked the 42nd mass killing in the United States this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
The timeline of events revealed the wide ground the suspect covered between the attacks, prompting a community to reflect on the unexpected violence that shattered their peace. The tragic incident leaves a community in mourning as they try to come to terms with the senseless loss of life.