Authorities in northern Austin are piecing together the horrifying details of a triple murder that has left an entire community stunned and grieving. Police say Ethan Blaine Nieneker, 32, is accused of killing a Target employee and a grandfather along with his four-year-old granddaughter, before attempting to flee the scene in a bizarre, chaotic sequence of events on Monday.
According to investigators, the deadly rampage began inside the Target store when Nieneker allegedly opened fire, killing Hector Leopoldo Martinez Machuca, 24, a store employee who was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses say the gunfire sent shoppers scrambling for cover as chaos erupted in the aisles.
The attack continued outside in the store’s parking lot, where police say Nieneker confronted Adam Chow, 65, and his granddaughter Astrid Fung, who were sitting in a parked car. Authorities allege that Nieneker first shot Chow in front of Astrid, then “coldly executed” the little girl, firing into the back seat where she sat. Detectives believe Astrid was deliberately made to watch her grandfather’s killing before her own life was taken.
Police have not yet revealed a motive for the attack, describing it only as a senseless act of extreme violence. Surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts suggest that the killings were targeted and deliberate rather than random.
Following the shootings, witnesses reported seeing the suspect strip naked and run into a portable toilet near a construction site close to the store. Responding officers quickly located him, and after he allegedly resisted arrest, police deployed Tasers to subdue him. Nieneker was taken into custody without further injury and is now facing multiple counts of capital murder.
Authorities say Nieneker has no known connection to the victims, making the brutality of the attack even more difficult to comprehend. The Austin Police Department is working with state and federal agencies to examine the suspect’s background, mental health history, and possible motives.
Family and friends of the victims are left devastated. Martinez Machuca, described by co-workers as “always smiling” and “willing to help anyone,” had worked at the store for several years. Adam Chow was remembered as a loving grandfather, devoted to his family and especially to Astrid, whom neighbors described as a bright, cheerful little girl with “a laugh you could hear down the street.”
Community members have begun leaving flowers, candles, and stuffed animals near the Target’s entrance in memory of the three victims. Vigils are being organized to honor their lives and to stand against the violence that has shaken the city.
Police are urging anyone who witnessed the shootings or the events leading up to them to contact Austin authorities. Investigators stress that even small details could help complete the picture of what happened during those harrowing minutes.
As the city mourns, questions remain about what drove a seemingly unconnected man to commit such an act of calculated brutality. For now, Austin grieves three lives stolen in an instant—two generations of one family, and a young man simply doing his job—leaving a void that cannot be filled.
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