At least three people were killed, and 14 others were injured on Sunday (local time) after a mass shooting in downtown Austin, Texas, ksat reported.
The Austin police responded to reports of gunfire at Buford’s bar on West Sixth Street around 1:59 AM, the authorities said. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said that officers were initially positioned on East 6th Street and later transitioned to West 6th, where they confronted the suspect. She added that three officers returned fire and killed a male suspect.
Davis said, “At one point, he put his flashers on, rolled down his window, and began using a pistol, shooting out of his car windows, striking patrons of the bar that were on the patio and that were in front of the bar,” cnn reported.
At least 14 people were injured and were later taken to nearby hospitals, and at least two victims were pronounced dead on the scene. Of those hospitalised, at least three were reported to be in critical condition.
In a public briefing, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson expressed his condolences and added that he will continue to update the public throughout the day as and when more information comes to light. He added, “Our hearts go out to the people that are victims of this. And I want to again reiterate my thanks to our public safety officers and officials that so rapidly were on the scene.”
Lauding the police, Mayor Watson said, “They definitely saved lives.”
Austin Emergency Medical Services (EMS) chief Robert Luckritz, in the briefing, said that paramedics and police officers reached the shooting scene and began treating patients 57 seconds after receiving a call around 1:59 AM in front of Buford’s bar on West 6th Street.
According to a cnn report, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the San Antonio Division, which covers the Austin area, said that it is involved in the investigation, but did not elaborate.
The FBI said they are investigating a “potential nexus to terrorism” in the deadly mass shooting in Austin, Texas. In a news conference on Sunday morning, Alex Doran, acting special agent in charge of the FBI San Antonio Division, said, “Obviously, it’s still way too early in the process to determine an exact motivation, but there were indicators on the subject and then this vehicle that indicate a potential nexus to terrorism.”
Shooting in Ohio’s Cincinnati
According to a report in WLWTat least nine people were injured after a mass shooting occurred at a music and event venue in Cincinnati’s East End overnight Sunday.
The report suggests that the police received the call around 1 AM reporting a shooting at Riverfront Live on Kellogg Avenue. Interim Chief Adam Hennie said multiple gunshots were fired inside the venue. Those injured suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, the police said, adding that they were taken to UC Medical Center or Good Samaritan Hospital.
So far, the police have no information regarding the suspect or the motive behind the shooting. Hennie added that officers were near the event and could quickly dispatch multiple units.
US mass shootings
According to a cnn report, the US has reported 56 mass shootings so far this year. A mass shooting, according to the Gun Violence Archive, is defined as when at least four people are shot. This does not include the shooter.
