Update 6:22 p.m. ET: The suspect in Sunday’s shooting in Austin has been identified as Stephen Nicholas Broderick, 41, a former Travis County Sheriff’s Office detective. The suspect allegedly gunned down two women and one man near Great Hills Trail and Rain Creek Parkway in Austin. He is 5’7″ tall, according to police, and was last seen wearing a gray hoodie and a baseball cap. He is considered “armed and dangerous.”
Broaderick was placed on leave, and then resigned, from the sheriff’s office in June 2020 after being charged with the sexual assault of a child. He was out on a $100,000 bond while Texas Rangers investigated the case.
Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza said in a statement that his office is “actively supporting the Austin Police Department and law enforcement who are using all available resources to apprehend” Broderick.
Original story:
Three people are dead at the scene of a shooting in Austin, Texas, Austin-Travis County EMS officials said on Sunday afternoon. No other injuries have been reported at this time.
Multiple #ATCEMS, @AustinFireInfo & @Austin_Police assets responding/on-scene of a declared Active Attack/Shooter incident in the 9600 blk of Great Hills Trl (11:42); #ATCEMSMedics advising 3 patients with GSW injuries all three with CPR in progress. Avoid the area. MTF…
— ATCEMS (@ATCEMS) April 18, 2021
UPDATE 2: Active Attack/Shooter incident in the 9600 blk of Great Hills Trl; #ATCEMS has 15 response assets on-scene. No reports of other patients at this time. All assets staged & prepared to enter into the immediate incident location. More to Follow…
— ATCEMS (@ATCEMS) April 18, 2021
The Austin Police Department is describing the event as an “active shooting incident” and warning residents to “shelter in place” and avoid the area, suggesting the suspect is still at large.
APD is currently on scene of an active shooting incident at Great Hills Trail and Rain Creek Parkway. All residents are advised to shelter in place and avoid the area. PIO en route. – PIO8
— Austin Police Department (@Austin_Police) April 18, 2021
At this time the Great Hills Trail scene is still active. We are still asking residents to shelter in place and report suspicious activity. While a suspect is still at large it appears this is a domestic situation that is isolated and there is no risk to the general public. -PIO8
— Austin Police Department (@Austin_Police) April 18, 2021
Police are reportedly searching the woods near the crime scene for the shooter, whom they believe was responsible for what they are calling an “isolated” “domestic situation.”
My source confirms SWAT & K9 are searching the nearby woods for the suspected shooter. https://t.co/gQDlPI2jZ3
— Kris Betts (@KrisB_13WHAM) April 18, 2021
A heavy police presence is on the scene:
Heavy police presence near Arboretum in Northwest Austin. EMS tells us 3 are dead in this “active attack/shooting.” Police are still searching for the suspect. Traffic closed in 183/360 area. Shooting scene happened at an apartment complex just blocks down Great Hills. @KXAN_News pic.twitter.com/X9cwY5mpO4
— Josh Hinkle (@hinklej) April 18, 2021
NEW: Here is a look at the scene. pic.twitter.com/LvwlEn5DYj
— Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) April 18, 2021
The shooting comes hours after there people were killed and two seriously injured in a Kenosha, Wisc., tavern shooting:
Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth said the suspect in the shooting at Somers House Tavern in Kenosha County is still at large, but that he believes the public is not in danger.
“We believe our suspect knew who he was targeting,” Beth said during a Sunday morning news conference. He asked that anyone with information about the shooting contact the Kenosha Sheriff’s Department. Kenosha is about 30 miles (50 kilometers) south of Milwaukee, not far from the Wisconsin-Illinois border.
PJ Media’s Bryan Preston has reported recently on the defunding of police by Austin’s mayor and city council. He reported Saturday that a task force, made up of activists, many of them vehemently anti-police, released recommendations that would completely decimate the police budget and defang the force. Austin police, meanwhile, have been retiring and resigning at an alarming rate and cadet classes for new hires have been canceled. Meanwhile, the murder rate in the city has skyrocketed.
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