4-Year-Old Among 3 Killed in Austin Shooting Spree

AUSTIN, TX — A 4-year-old girl, her grandfather, and a store employee were killed Monday in a North Austin shooting spree that police said unfolded in less than an hour and ended with an arrest.

Police identified the suspect as Ethan Nieneker, 32. He was taken into custody at 3:06 p.m. on Montclaire Street in South Austin after officers used a Taser when he did not comply with commands, according to the Austin Police Department. He faces two counts of capital murder for the child and her grandfather, Adam Chow, 65, and a first-degree murder charge for Target employee Hector Leopoldo Martinez Machuca, 24. APD Chief Lisa Davis said Nieneker has a history of mental health issues.

The violence began about 2:15 p.m. in the Target parking lot at 8601 Research Boulevard northbound. Police said Nieneker shot Martinez Machuca as the employee collected shopping carts. Martinez Machuca was taken to a hospital and pronounced deceased at 3:01 p.m.

Police said Nieneker then ran to a gray Toyota 4Runner, shot Chow in the driver’s seat, and fired into the back seat, striking Chow’s 4-year-old granddaughter. Chow and the child were pronounced dead at the scene at 2:39 p.m. and 2:50 p.m., respectively. Chow’s wife removed the child from the vehicle; Nieneker pushed her and drove away at a high rate of speed, police said.

Around 2:20 p.m., Nieneker approached a parked water truck along the 7800 block of MoPac Expressway, repeatedly assaulted the driver, and tried to drive the truck but could not, according to police. He jumped out, chased a man with a pistol in his hand, then returned to the 4Runner and drove off.

About 2:25 p.m., the 4Runner crashed into a Volkswagen and landed on an Infiniti SUV. Police said Nieneker got out, assaulted the Volkswagen driver, pushed her from the car, and drove off in the Volkswagen.

At 2:34 p.m., a suspect matching his description got out of the Volkswagen and attempted to break into a Waymo vehicle but failed and returned to the Volkswagen, police said.

At 2:37 p.m., an acquaintance who knows Nieneker through Bible study reported he had thrown a brick through the acquaintance’s residence in the 2100 block of La Casa Drive, according to police.

At 2:58 p.m., APD received a call of a naked man running through a backyard in the 2400 block of La Casa Drive and going into a portable toilet before leaving on foot. Officers located Nieneker on Montclaire Street and arrested him. Clothing matching earlier surveillance images was found inside the portable toilet, police said.

APD said the spree — multiple shootings, assaults and vehicle thefts — is being investigated as Austin’s 39th, 40th and 41st homicides of 2025. Anyone with photos, videos or other evidence is asked to contact APD at 512-974-TIPS or Capital Area Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477.