A 41-year-old man is wanted in the fatal shooting of three people in Austin, Texas, with police searching the surrounding area warning residents the suspect might take a hostage.
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Interim police chief Joseph Chacon says Stephen Broderick is considered armed and dangerous.
He asked local residents on Sunday to continue to shelter in place and call neighbours to check on them.
"We are concerned he might possibly take a hostage and be himself sheltered somewhere waiting for us to leave," Chacon said.
He said police do not know if Broderick was in a vehicle or on foot.
Chacon said he was suspected in the killing of two Hispanic women and a black man.
He said Broderick knew the victims but didn't elaborate on how or provide a motive for the shootings. Chacon also said a child was involved but that the child has been located and is safe.
Brenda Torres said she was driving by when she saw a little boy flag down a car and a black man lying facedown on the ground.
"I saw the little boy point down the street," Torres said.
"There was someone lying on the ground. I thought someone had just fallen down or something. As my light turns green and I'm driving, I see cop car after cop car after cop car rushing toward where I just was."
The Austin-Travis County EMS said it had received no reports of victims other than the three adults shot dead. EMS spokeswoman Captain Christa Stedman said the first 911 call came in at 11.44 am.
Chacon said the three were not shot in a building but did not give any further details.
Images from the scene showed a large presence of emergency responders, including dozens of police cars. There were also several ambulances, two SWAT trucks and two police helicopters at the scene.
Meanwhile, authorities say they have apprehended a person in connection with a shooting at a busy tavern in southeastern Wisconsin early on Sunday that left three men dead and three injured.
Kenosha County Sheriff's Department spokesman Sergeant David Wright said the suspect was facing a charge of first-degree intentional homicide, with additional criminal charges likely after further investigation.
Authorities said earlier they weren't sure if there was more than one shooter.
"There is no threat to the community at this time," Wright said in a release. He said no further information on the suspect would be released on Sunday.
Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth said earlier a suspect was asked to leave Somers House Tavern in Kenosha County but returned and opened fire.
Australian Associated Press
