Texas authorities identify suspect in deadly shooting rampage that killed 6 people

Authorities in Texas identified 34-year-old Shane James as the man they believe carried out a shooting rampage across Austin on Tuesday and a double murder in San Antonio, leaving at least six people dead and injuring three others, including two police officers.

James was booked on Wednesday morning into the Travis County Jail on two counts of capital murder and misdemeanor, according to public records reviewed by the Austin American-Statesman, part of the USA TODAY Network. Court records do not indicate whether James has an attorney.

James is suspected of having killed two people in San Antonio before traveling to a high school in Austin, where the shooting spree began. The two people were found dead in a San Antonio home on Tuesday evening. The location is listed in public records as James' home address.

Law enforcement in San Antonio and Austin have not released the names of the victims or said whether there is any relationship between them and James.

Interim Austin Police Chief Robin Henderson said in a news conference early Wednesday that law enforcement was unaware the incidents were connected until after James was arrested Tuesday night.

"I'd like to express my deepest condolences to all the victims and their families who've been affected by these series of tragic events and horrific criminal acts," Henderson said.

Eight-hour rampage kills 4, injures 3 in Austin

The first shooting in Austin occurred Tuesday around 10:40 a.m., where James is suspected of shooting a police officer at Northeast Early College High School, prompting an hourslong lockdown of the school and a nearby facility, Henderson said. The officer was hit in the leg and, as of Tuesday evening, was in stable condition, said Austin school district Police Chief Wayne Sneed.

Then, at about noon, officers responded to the double homicide of a man and a woman at a home in south Austin, just miles from the school. One person died at the scene and the other died after being rushed to a nearby hospital. Authorities have not released their cause of death.

The third shooting occurred around 5 p.m. when the suspect fired at a male cyclist in southwest Austin, Henderson said. The cyclist suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Two hours later, James is accused of shooting at officers who were responding to a 911 call about a burglary in progress at a home less than a mile from the previous shooting. One officer suffered multiple injuries, which Henderson described as not life-threatening.

James fled in a vehicle before he subsequently crashed and was nabbed by officers – ending the eight-hour rampage.

As the police chase was underway, officers at the house where the firefight occurred searched the residence. Inside, they found two people dead. Police believe James to be responsible for those deaths. Authorities have not said how the victims died.

Police investigate suspect's connection with San Antonio murders

Authorities are investigating the suspect's connection to a "grisly" double murder in northeastern San Antonio after a man and a woman in their 50s were found dead inside a residence Tuesday night.

Around 7:45 p.m. the Austin Police Department communicated to officials in Bexar County, which encompasses San Antonio, that the suspect in the Austin shootings "had links" to a local residence.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said in a media briefing that while the suspect has a connection with the residence, it's unclear "what his relation, if any" was with the two people who were found dead.

Contributing: Tony Plohetski, Bianca Moreno-Paz, Skye Seipp and Chase Rogers, Austin American-Statesman

Christopher Cann is a breaking news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him via email at [email protected] or follow him on X @ChrisCannFL.