A routine Monday afternoon shopping trip in Austin, Texas, turned into a deadly rampage on August 11, 2025, when a man claiming to be “Jesus” opened fire outside a Target store, killing three people — one of them a young child — and sparking a chaotic citywide pursuit.
Police identified the suspect as 32-year-old Ethan Nieneker, a man with a long criminal record. The victims were Hector Leopoldo Martinez Machuca, 24, a Target employee; Adam Chow, 65; and his 4-year-old granddaughter Astrid Fung. Chow’s wife, Doris, suffered minor injuries.
The violence began around 2:15 p.m. when Nieneker shot Machuca as he gathered shopping carts outside the Target on Research Boulevard. He then fired at a driver in a Jeep Cherokee before targeting the Chow family’s parked Toyota 4Runner, killing Adam and Astrid. Doris managed to remove the child before Nieneker shoved her aside, stole the SUV, and sped away.
Over the next hour, the suspect’s escape turned into a dangerous chase. He carjacked vehicles, rammed others, assaulted drivers, and even tried to break into a self-driving car. Witnesses described the scene as terrifying, with one father saying he reversed his car to protect his children after realizing the man was armed.
By 3:06 p.m., police found Nieneker walking naked in a residential area and arrested him after using a Taser. Surveillance footage linked him to clothing left in a portable toilet minutes earlier.
Authorities called the attack “unprovoked” and “deliberate.” Nieneker, who lived alone and worked in a restaurant, had prior arrests for domestic violence, DWI, and criminal mischief, along with a felony assault conviction in 2016. Police believe he suffers from serious mental health issues.
The victims’ families and friends are now mourning. The Chow family described Adam as their “steady backbone” and Astrid as “pure silliness and joy.” A GoFundMe campaign has raised over $49,000 for their funeral expenses. Machuca’s longtime friend expressed heartbreak for his family. Target issued condolences and is providing grief counseling to employees.
Nieneker faces two counts of capital murder and one count of first-degree felony murder.
Just two weeks earlier, another mass shooting rocked New York City on July 28, 2025, when 27-year-old Shane Devon Tamura killed four people — including off-duty NYPD officer Didarul Islam — in Midtown Manhattan before dying from a self-inflicted wound. Islam, a father of two with another child on the way, was remembered as a devoted family man and officer.
Authorities say Tamura, who had a concealed carry permit and a history of mental health struggles, acted alone. Three civilians also died in the attack, while another man remains in critical condition. The motive remains unclear.