Advertisement

Police seek 2 in Texas mass shooting that left at least 14 injured

Click to play video: 'Police say 2 suspects wanted in connection with shooting in downtown Austin'
Police say 2 suspects wanted in connection with shooting in downtown Austin
WATCH: Police say 2 suspects wanted in connection with shooting in downtown Austin – Jun 12, 2021

Police were searching for two people suspected in a mass shooting on a crowded downtown Austin, Texas street early Saturday in which 14 people were wounded, including two critically.

Interim Police Chief Joseph Chacon said the shooting on a street packed with bars and barricaded off from vehicle traffic occurred at around 1:30 a.m. and that investigators believe it started as a dispute between two parties.

He said police are searching for two male suspects, but he declined to disclose details such as whether both fired shots, saying the investigation was ongoing and the department was working to take them into custody.

Click to play video: 'At least 13 injured after shooting in downtown Austin, Texas'
At least 13 injured after shooting in downtown Austin, Texas
Story continues below advertisement

“Most of the victims were innocent bystanders, but we’re still sorting out all of the victims to see what their involvement is in this case,” Chacon said.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

The mass shooting — one of at least three in the U.S. overnight — sparked panic along 6th Street, a popular nightlife destination in the city that’s home to the University of Texas.
One witness, Matt Perlstein, told KXAN-TV that he was waiting with a friend to enter a bar when the shooting began.

“Everything was totally fine,” Perlstein said, then gunfire erupted. “We just heard like … a bunch of gunshots going off. Everyone got on the ground. We couldn’t even comprehend what was going on at the time.”

Chacon said his officers responded quickly to the scene.

“They were able to immediately begin life-saving measures for many of these patients, including applications of tourniquets; applications of chest seals,” he said.

Click to play video: 'Police search for suspect in broad-daylight shooting'
Police search for suspect in broad-daylight shooting

Because of the chaos on the barricaded street, police drove six of the wounded to hospitals in their squad cars. Ambulances transported four people and the other four made their own way to hospitals, he said.

Story continues below advertisement

Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statement thanking police and other first responders and offering prayers to the victims. He said the state Department of Public Safety is assisting in the investigation.

Sponsored content

AdChoices