Man claiming to be Jesus kills girl in Target shooting

A routine afternoon at a north Austin Target descended into tragedy on Monday, August 11, when a man opened fire in the parking lot, killing three people and injuring one before embarking on a destructive spree across the city.

Police arrested the suspect, who claimed to be a religious figure, after a series of chaotic encounters with drivers and pedestrians.

Austin Police identified the suspect as 32-year-old Ethan Nieneker. The victims included Target employee Hector Leopoldo Martinez Machuca, 24; 65-year-old Adam Chow; and Chow’s 4-year-old granddaughter, Astrid Fung. Doris Chow, Adam’s wife, was also injured but is expected to recover, per ABC News.

According to police, the violence began around 2:15 p.m. outside the Target on Research Boulevard, when Nieneker shot Machuca as he collected shopping carts. He then ran toward a black Jeep Cherokee and fired at the driver before approaching a parked Toyota 4Runner, where Adam Chow was sitting in the driver’s seat with his wife and granddaughter inside.