Austin mass shooting suspect identified as 34-year-old Army veteran

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A mass shooter has been identified after killing four people across two cities in Texas (Image: Austin American-Statesman)
A mass shooter has been identified after killing four people across two cities in Texas (Image: Austin American-Statesman)

The man accused of a deadly shooting spree across two Texas cities was once a member of the military, jail records have revealed.

Shane James, 34, who is now behind bars on four counts of capital murder, served as an infantry officer in the Army from February 2013 to August 2015, according to the Messenger. Law enforcement hasn't confirmed this, but records obtained by the publication show that James was booked for this spree.

According to his LinkedIn page, he held a "Secret Security Clearance" from the State Department and worked at various shooting ranges in Texas. The horrific killings, which took place in Austin and San Antonio, spanned over eight hours. Two officers were also injured but are expected to recover.

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Austin mass shooting suspect identified as 34-year-old Army veteran tdiqtiqkeiqukinvAustin mass shooting rampage sees several people dead and police shot at multiple locations (Austin American-Statesman)

While Austin officials have not formally named James as a suspect, he was booked into the Travis County Jail overnight, according to jail records.

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A gunman has gone on a shooting spree across Austin, Texas, killing two people and injuring others, including two police officers. The horror began when a school officer was shot in the leg during a routine check, causing the school to go into lockdown.

The shooter then travelled to South Austin, where he killed a man and woman in their 50s. Later in the day, a male cyclist was shot and injured. Police were called to a potential house burglary, where the suspect fired at an officer, who returned fire but did not hit the gunman.

The suspect fled the scene, leading to a high-speed police chase that ended with his car crashing and him being taken into custody. The relationship between the victims and the suspect is currently unknown. The suspect has been charged with capital murder and had a previous warrant for family violence.

Austin mass shooting suspect identified as 34-year-old Army veteranThe shooter drove from Austin to San Antonio - about an hour, shooting people on the way (Austin American-Statesman)

A "grisly" double murder in San Antonio is being linked to three shootings in Austin on Tuesday, according to Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar.

The Austin Police Department said the suspect in the Austin shooting rampage had links to the residence where the double murder took place. However, it's not clear what the connection is. The suspect, who hasn't been named, is a man in his 30s.

Parents of students at the school where the lockdown happened said they were scared, even though they were told the students were safe. Angie Hernandez was texting her son, who was in a hallway and ran into a classroom when the school suddenly went into lockdown.

Austin mass shooting suspect identified as 34-year-old Army veteranPolice have stopped and identified a mass shooter in Texas last night (Austin American-Statesman)

"How can we send our kids to school (when) we don't know what's going to happen?" Hernandez said. "How can we trust our kids to the school system?" Parents waited in line around the Delco Activity Centre to pick up their children who had been dropped off there from the high school."

"Lydia Chavez went to pick up her niece and admitted she only saw the school was in lockdown from breaking news alerts. She quickly contacted her sister to tell her the news. "You don't think it's going to happen," Chavez said.

On Tuesday at around 9.30 pm, three candles and flowers were left next to the driveway of the home where two people had been killed just hours earlier. According to neighbours, the man and woman had only just moved in a few days ago.

Yelena Mandenberg

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