Gunman kills three at Target store in US state of Texas

A gunman has opened fire in the parking lot of a Target store in Texas, United States, killing three people, according to authorities.

The attack occurred on Monday in the state’s capital, Austin, with Chief of Police Lisa Davis describing the attacker as a man in his 30s with “a mental health history”.

After the shooting, the man fled the scene in a stolen car, which he later crashed. He then stole another car from a nearby dealership before he was captured.

Emergency responders found the three victims, who were not immediately identified, when they arrived at the scene. Two were pronounced dead immediately, with a third pronounced dead at a hospital.

“This is a very sad day for Austin. It’s a very sad day for us all, and my condolences go out to the families,” Davis said.

The attack occurred shortly before schools restart in the country, in what is commonly a popular time for shopping.

In a post on X, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson called the attack a “devastating situation”.

“My heart is with the victims and their families,” he said. “While this remains an active and ongoing investigation, what I’ll say is that this was a sickening, cowardly act of gun violence.”

The Target attack comes just over two weeks after an attack at a Walmart store in Michigan.