A tragic event unfolded outside a Target store in North Austin, shocking the local community. A Texas shooting claims lives of three people, including a grandfather, his young granddaughter, and a store employee. The victims are Adam Chow, 65, his 4-year-old granddaughter Astrid Fung, and Target employee Hector Leopoldo Martinez Machuca, 24.
The Austin Police Department shared details about the incident, explaining the sequence of events. Martinez Machuca worked at the Target store when the shooting began. While gathering shopping carts in the parking lot, the suspect opened fire. Martinez Machuca died during this initial attack.
At the same time, officers found Adam Chow sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. His wife and granddaughter sat with him inside the car. Suddenly, 32-year-old suspect Ethan Nieneker ran up to their vehicle. He fired several shots, hitting both Chow and the young girl. Sadly, both died at the scene.
Although Chow’s wife suffered minor injuries, she carried her granddaughter from the car to safety. Nieneker then stole their vehicle and fled. After crashing the car, he took control of a second vehicle. While escaping, Nieneker assaulted several other drivers on the road, causing more danger.
Police caught Nieneker in South Austin. At the time, he appeared naked and refused to follow police commands. Officers used a taser to subdue and arrest him. Authorities now charge him with multiple murders, including two counts of capital murder.
Police initially withheld the granddaughter’s name. However, a fundraiser set up by the family identified her as Astrid Fung. GoFundMe confirmed the campaign relates to the Austin shooting. The fundraiser aims to help cover funeral, memorial, and other family expenses.
The organizer thanked everyone who contributed meals and gift cards. They urged the community to keep supporting the family through the verified fund. This tragedy shows how deeply a Texas shooting claims lives and affects the community.
Many people in North Austin continue to mourn these losses. They hope the legal process will bring justice and that the family receives ongoing support during this difficult time
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