An active shooting in northwest Austin, Texas, on Sunday has left three people dead at the scene.
In a tweet at 12:58 p.m. ET, the Austin-Travis County EMS said that local police, fire and EMS were "responding/on-scene of a declared Active Attack/Shooter incident in the 9600 blk" of Great Hills Trail in the Arboretum area.
At 1:11 p.m., the Austin-Travis County EMS reported that three adult patients had died on the scene and advised residents to keep away from the "active scene."
"No additional patients have been reported or located at this time," the Austin-Travis County EMS tweeted.
Multiple #ATCEMS, @AustinFireInfo & @Austin_Police assets responding/on-scene of a declared Active Attack/Shooter incident in the 9600 blk of Great Hills Trl (11:42); #ATCEMSMedics advising 3 patients with GSW injuries all three with CPR in progress. Avoid the area. MTF...
— ATCEMS (@ATCEMS) April 18, 2021
Later in the afternoon, Austin police identified the suspect as 41-year-old Stephen Nicholas Broderick and warned the public that he's still at large. The incident appeared to be the result of an isolated "domestic situation," authorities said.
Police placed the northwest Austin area under shelter-in-place for five hours as they searched for Broderick. The order was lifted at 4:40 p.m.
During an afternoon press conference, Austin Police Interim Chief Joseph Chacon said that police received a 911 call at 11:42 a.m. They responded immediately and sent a reverse 911 call to residents to warn them about the incident.
Officers are currently unsure whether the suspect fled in a vehicle or by foot, according to Chacon. Broderick was described as a 5' 7" Black man, average build and believed to be wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses and gray hoodie.
"Obviously this is tragedy. We have people who have lost their lives out here," Chacon said. "The danger still remains high at this point. We'll do our best ... to get this person in custody ... and hopefully with no more loss of life."
According to KXAN, Broderick previously served as a Travis County Sheriff's Office detective. On June 20, 2020, he was arrested and charged with sexual assault of a child. He spent 16 days in jail, before being released on bond. Travis County Sheriff's spokesperson Kirsten Dark said that Broderick resigned following his arrest, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Chacon said that the three victims consisted of two women and one man, all of whom knew the suspect. The motive is not known at this time.
Police efforts to locate the suspect evolved into a fugitive hunt on Sunday afternoon, with officials scouring areas outside the Great Hills Trail. Police helicopters were also seen flying above the crime scene.
Newsweek reached out to the Austin Police Department for further information. This story will be updated with any response.
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