A mass-shooting incident has left at least 13 people injured in Austin, Texas, local emergency services have said. At least two of the injured have been hospitalized in a critical condition.
The incident, described by the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services as an “active attack,” occurred in downtown Austin early on Saturday.
FINAL Active Attack: Updated patient count is 13, the 13th patient was transported by private vehicle. Further information requests should be directed to @Austin_Police. #ATCEMS personnel are clearing the scene shortly. Continue to avoid the 6th St area. No other info available.
At least 13 people were injured in the shooting, with two of them suffering critical and two others non-life-threatening injuries. The status of the other injured parties was not immediately clear.
APD Officers working shooting downtown. Multiple victims with injuries. Media staging location will be E 9th street and IH 35 SVRD South bound (Valero gas station). Please stay away from 6th street. Will update with briefing time.
— Austin Police Department (@Austin_Police) June 12, 2021
Austin Police Department has urged the public to stay away from the 6th Street area. It has described the incident as a “chaotic” one, stating that officers are still accessing the situation. It has not yet been confirmed whether any suspect has been detained.
Footage circulating online shows several victims lying on the ground in the middle of a busy street, with multiple police officers and paramedics attending to them.
The suspect fled the scene and remains at large. The police gave a very general description of him, with Austin Interim Chief of Police Joseph Chacon telling a news briefing that the attacker is believed to be a black man of “skinny” build with dreadlock-style hair. Chacon said the motives for the shooting are still unknown.
Detectives from the homicide, aggravated assault, organized crime and gang units have been dispatched to the scene to investigate the incident. Agents from the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force are also assisting local police, Chacon stated
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