A man in Texas is accused of shooting three people in a parking lot during a chaotic incident. Ethan Nienker, 32, allegedly targeted victims, including a 24-year-old Target employee, Leopold Martinez Machuca, and a 66-year-old man, Adam Chow, during his rampage in Austin. He obtained the firearm from his family.
Austin murder detective Nathan Sexton commented, saying, “He claimed he was just doing it, but no real motive was given” regarding the actions of this mentally unstable shooter.
Authorities described the victims as randomly chosen. The disturbing events began around 2:15 PM on Monday when Nienker attacked Machuca as employees were collecting shopping carts, with some even donning Hawaiian shirts.
Following the initial shooting, Nienker fled in a Jeep toward a grey Toyota 4Runner. There, he fatally shot Chow, who was in the driver’s seat, and his granddaughter in the back.
Both Chow and the granddaughter were pronounced dead at the scene, and Machuca later died at the hospital from his injuries.
Chow’s wife was also injured during the attack before Nienker stole a car and sped away from the location.
Nienker eventually crashed the stolen Toyota into a Volkswagen, attempted to hijack another vehicle, and then bizarrely threw bricks at a friend’s house before wandering around naked in the backyard. His ordeal ended about 20 miles from the crime scene, where he was subdued by police using a taser.
