The disturbed fiend who allegedly opened fire in a Target parking lot in Texas claimed to be Jesus and gunned down his three victims — identified Tuesday as a cart collector, a grandfather and his 4-year-old granddaughter — at random.
Ethan Nieneker, 32, went on the deadly rampage Monday afternoon in Austin, using a family member’s handgun to fatally shoot Target employee Hector Leopoldo Martinez Machuca, 24, Adam Chow, 66, and Chow’s young granddaughter, the Austin Police Department announced Tuesday.
“He said that he was Jesus and there was no real reason whatsoever given,” Austin Homicide detective Nathan Sexton said of the accused mentally ill gunman’s violent spree.
Ethan Nieneker claimed he was Jesus, and chose his victims at random. Austin Police Department
“It was a completely random choosing of the victims.”
Police said the fatal mayhem began around 2:15 p.m. Monday when Nieneker – who has a long rap sheet with the department – stormed the retail lot just north of Austin wearing a Hawaiian shirt and randomly targeted Machuca as the employee was collecting shopping carts.
The rabid assailant then fired at a Jeep trying to escape the gunfire before approaching a gray Toyota 4-Runner, where he fatally shot Chow, who was in the driver’s seat, and Chow’s granddaughter in the backseat.
The family members were both pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Chow’s granddaughter, identified by family as Astrid, was remembered as a lively, happy and goofy child.
“She loved singing, dancing, and making us laugh,” the family said in a statement to ABC News. “We are broken and miss them both so much.”
The Target employee was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Nieneker’s three victims included a 24-year-old Austin Target employee, a grandfather, and his 4-year-old granddaughter. Courtesy of the Chow family
A stolen Toyota 4Runner (right), driven by Nieneker, the suspect of the Target shooting, crashed into a Volkswagen before landing on top of an Infiniti SUV near North Mopac Expressway Service Road and Executive Center Drive in Austin, Texas, on Monday. AP
The location of the Target where the shooting occurred. Tam Nguyen / NYPost Design
Chow’s wife was also injured in the heinous attack before Nieneker stole their car and fled at high speed from the store.
Nieneker later crashed the Toyota into a Volkswagen before coming to a rest on top of an Infiniti SUV. He then assaulted the Volkswagen’s female driver, hijacked the vehicle, and drove off, according to police.
He was eventually taken down with a Taser about 20 miles away in the city’ south end after throwing a brick through the home of a friend of his from Bible study and wandering naked through a backyard, all of which was captured on video surveillance.
Nieneker is accused of gunning down the victims in Austin on Monday afternoon before making a dramatic getaway that involved two stolen cars and a police chase. AP
Police are currently investigating how he obtained the firearm – recovered in the Toyota – from a family member and whether he was under the influence during the fatal shooting.
“We’re still looking into the drug portion of it,” Sexton said, noting that the maniac called himself “Jesus” and provided no motive behind the heartless shooting.
“He could have been under the influence of narcotics, it might not necessarily be all attributed to mental illness, so we’re still investigating all of that.”
The violent perp’s identity was released Tuesday, along with his bruised and bloodied mugshot, showing blood seeping from a gash near his eye and several scratches across his face.
The suspect (pictured) is facing multiple murder charges. Facebook/Ethan Nieneker
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said Nieneker has a lengthy history with the department, including previous arrests for assault, drug possession, driving while intoxicated, and two mental health calls.
She said Tuesday’s “heartbreaking” tragedy is a failure of the mental health system.
“As far as the victims he chose, those were random, but this man had some serious issues,” Davis said, adding that Nieneker worked at a restaurant and lived alone.
“I think about the systems that failed in a way as we move forward,” she said. We have someone with some serious mental health issues and where are we able to take them and what help are they getting? Where does someone with this capacity to do this get a weapon and when does a family member feel comfortable giving someone with these issues a weapon?”
The raging suspect was charged with two counts of capital murder, first-degree felony murder, along with a slew of other charges, including assault.
He is being held at the Travis County Jail.
Police are urging anyone with information to come forward and contact the department at (512) 974-8477.