Three youths arrested after Austin shooting spree injures four

Three youths are in police custody after a spree of at least 10 shootings that wounded four people who appeared to be targeted randomly in Austin, Texas, authorities said.

The suspects arrested in connection with the shootings also allegedly fired at buildings and houses while driving around the capital city in stolen cars, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said Sunday. Before the arrests, city officials temporarily ordered residents in a large southern section of Austin to shelter in place, an exceptional public safety measure reflecting the indiscriminate nature of the spree.

“We don’t have any specific motive that has been identified,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said after the arrests. “In fact, these actions appear to be random.”

Officials said a pair of boys, ages 15 and 17, are accused of firing at two fire stations, apartment buildings and homes amid a series of robberies and shootings from Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning.

The younger of those boys allegedly stole the gun used in the shootings, while the older boy had purportedly been wanted for stealing a separate gun.

Of the four people reported shot during the teens’ alleged spree, one was critically injured. Three others had wounds that were not considered life-threatening.

One victim was shot in the back while walking his dog, Davis recounted, adding: “I don’t know what motive would drive anybody to come and drive around senselessly in this city and shoot.”

Police said they captured the two alleged shooters after pulling them over in one of four cars the pair was accused of stealing. Both unsuccessfully tried to flee, police said.

Investigators on Sunday night said they arrested a third person suspected of being in the car with the shooters. That person was apprehended at a gas station in Manor, about 15 miles (24 km) outside Austin, and also allegedly tried to run.

Police said the third suspect was a minor but did not provide further details, including an exact age. They also did not name any of the suspects, as is common in crimes allegedly committed by juveniles.

Local residents in the area affected by the shooting spree and the accompanying shelter-in-place order spoke with Austin’s CBS affiliate, describing how unsettling the experience was.

“It’s alarming,” one resident, identified as Ryan Nowlin, told the channel.

Another resident, identified as Samantha Martinez, echoed Nowlin, saying, “It scared me. It scared me so much.”

The shooting spree in Austin was the latest high-profile instance of gun violence in the U.S.

As of early Monday, 150 mass shootings had been reported across the country this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

The archive, a nonpartisan resource, defines a mass shooting as an incident with four or more victims wounded or killed.

Many in the U.S. have called for more substantial federal gun control given the high number of mass shootings reported annually, but Congress has largely been unable or unwilling to heed such pleas.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.