Three suspects are in custody after 12 shootings were carried out in Austin, Texas, this week, leaving four people injured. Gregg Abbott has now spoken out.

Three suspects are in custody after 12 shootings were carried out in Austin, Texas, this week, leaving four people injured. Texas Governor Gregg Abbott has now spoken out after the arrests.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis identified two suspects as a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old, KATV reported. The older teen had an existing warrant for the theft of a firearm from the same store where the 15-year-old had stolen a gun from Saturday, May 16. David confirmed that both the firearms used in the shooting were stolen.

A third suspect fled from the vehicle when Manor police and Travis County Sheriff’s Office deputies stopped the car. The suspect was later arrested by Manor police hours later.

“These kids are serial criminals with a callous disregard for life. If they are ever released from jail they will surely harm again,” Abbott wrote on X. “Austin PD, Travis Co. Sheriff Office & Manor PD did their job. Texas Dept. of Public Safety aided them.”

“The DA & Court must do their job and keep these criminals behind bars,” he added.

What we know about the shooting
While two suspects were initially caught, the Austin Police Department said in its latest update that the “third suspect has been taken into custody by Manor PD.”

All three suspects had fled on foot. Helicopters and drones were deployed to spot the third suspect, as the search area is large, spanning multiple neighborhoods. A shelter-in-place was initially announced but later lifted.

The 19-hour spree started late Saturday. The first shooting took place in the 6700 block of Wentworth Drive in east Austin, where the suspect fired toward Fire Station 26.

The shootings paused overnight but resumed again Sunday morning, May 17, at 8:47 am. At the time, a man walking his dog was shot in the back near the intersection of Janes Ranch Road and Ballydawn Drive in southeast Austin. Police then started connecting the incidents.