Who Is Shane James? Man Arrested After Texas Shooting Spree

A man suspected of killing several people in a series of shootings across Austin, Texas, has been taken into custody, police said.

Officials identified the suspect as Shane James, KVUE reported. Online jail records show James, 34, was booked into Travis County Jail on four counts of capital murder in the early hours of Wednesday.

The suspect also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for assault causing injury to a family member, Robin Henderson, the interim chief of the Austin Police Department, said during a news conference early Wednesday. Additional charges are pending, she said.

"We strongly believe one suspect is responsible for all of the incidents," Henderson said. "The suspect is in custody and no longer poses a threat to our Austin community."

She said police had not determined the incidents were connected until Tuesday night.

The first shooting occurred at around 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday morning, when the suspect shot and injured an Austin Independent School District officer, Henderson said.

The Austin Police Department said that Northeast Early College High School was placed under lockdown after shots were heard in the area.

The officer, who was doing a routine check at the school, reported that someone was shooting at him, Wayne Sneed, the school district's police chief, told reporters. The officer was shot in the leg, but was in a stable condition, Sneed said.

The second shooting occurred around midday, and involved the double homicide of a man and woman in the 7300 block of Shadywood Drive.

In the third incident, a male cyclist reported being shot at around 5 p.m. The cyclist's injuries were not life threatening, Henderson said.

About two hours later, an officer responding to a call about a burglary in the 5300 block of Austral Loop found the suspect in the backyard of the home.

The suspect immediately fired at the officer, who returned fire, Henderson said.

"The officer suffered multiple gunshot wounds and moved to a position of cover," she said. The officer was transported to hospital with injuries that were not life threatening and is in a stable condition, Henderson said.

The suspect was not struck by gunfire, she said, and later fled the scene in a vehicle. He crashed the vehicle as police pursued him, Henderson said. He was arrested with a firearm in his possession, she added.

While the chase was occurring, Henderson said other officers entered the home on Austral Loop and found the bodies of the two victims inside.

The suspect may also be linked to another homicide investigation in Bexar County, Henderson said.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said police in San Antonio found the bodies of two people—a man and woman in their 50s—in a residence after learning from police in Austin that the suspect had connections to the home. Salazar said officials believe the man and the woman were killed before the shootings in Austin, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

"The nature of the relationship, if any, between the victims and the suspect is unknown," Henderson said during the news conference.

Newsweek has contacted the Austin Police Department, Austin Independent School District Police Department and Bexar County Sheriff's Office for comment via email.