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Authorities in Texas arrested a 34-year-old man after he allegedly went on a daylong shooting rampage that left six dead and three injured, including two police officers, in Austin and San Antonio. Cops are still trying to find the motive behind the shootings and the connections between the suspect and the victims.
Shane James faces two counts of murder and is expected to face more charges, according to police.
James is accused of shooting an Austin Independent School District police officer around 10:43 a.m. on Tuesday, Austin Police Department Interim Chief of Police Robin Henderson said at a press conference. An officer was doing his routine checks around the parking lot at Northeast Early College High School when James allegedly started shooting at him. The officer was shot in the leg, and the suspect fled, according to cops. The officer has since been released from the hospital.
Shane James is accused of going on a daylong rampage that left six people dead and three injured, including two police officers, in Austin and San Antonio on Dec. 5, 2023. (Austin Police Department)
Austin police then received calls from people seeking help around noon at a home in the 7300 block of Shadywood Drive, about 18 miles away from the shooting scene at the high school, said Henderson. Officers arrived to find two people killed, she said.
Then police received 911 calls around 5 p.m. after James allegedly shot a bicyclist in the 5700 block of West Slaughter Lane, about six miles away from the double homicide scene, according to Henderson. First responders took the bicyclist to the hospital, where he is expected to survive.
Finally, police received a call about a burglary in progress around 6:50 p.m. in the 5300 block of Austral Loop, about two miles from where the bicyclist got shot. The first officer on scene saw the suspect in the backyard. James immediately opened fire, striking the officer multiple times, Henderson said, adding the cop fired back but did not hit the suspect. James allegedly hopped in a car and later crashed after he led officers on a chase, Henderson said. Cops then took him into custody. The officer was last listed in stable condition.
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After James’ arrest, Henderson said detectives realized all four shooting scenes were connected and James was the only suspect. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said at a press conference that Austin police alerted his office around 7:45 p.m. that James had links to a home in the San Antonio area. When deputies arrived, they saw water coming out the door. They forced their way into the home, where they found two people in their 50s dead.
Salazar said deputies believe James killed the two people in San Antonio before making the roughly 80-mile drive to Austin, where he allegedly went on the crime spree.
None of the victims have been publicly identified.
“I’d like to express my deepest condolences to all the victims and their families who have been affected by these tragic events and these horrific criminal acts,” Henderson said.
The Austin American-Statesman reported that James served as a U.S. Army infantry officer from February 2013 to August 2015. His last rank was first lieutenant.
He’s in jail without bond as detectives continue to investigate.
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