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The Austin police department, FBI, and U.S. Marshals are hunting for 41-year-old Stephen Nicholas Broderick, suspected of shooting at least three people. As of He remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous. On April 18, 2021, at 4:12 p.m. CT, the Austin Police Department tweeted this update:
Suspect in shooting incident at Great Hills Trail and Rain Creek Parkway was last seen wearing a gray hoodie, sunglasses, and a baseball cap. Please be aware of your surroundings and report sighting of this suspect to 9-1-1. -PIO80 [He is 5 foot 7 inches tall with a medium build.]
The first 911 call came in at 11:44 a.m. CT (12:44 ET). The caller reported the shooting of three adults at Arboretum Oaks Apartments. Upon arriving on the scene, they discovered three lifeless adult bodies — two Hispanic females and one Black male.
Joseph Chacon, the interim police chief of the Austin Police, stated the shooting appeared to be a domestic dispute. Chacon explained the shooting victims were known to the suspect — the interim police chief did not provide information about how they knew one another.
A child was involved with the situation. Chacon told reporters at a news conference that officers located and took the child into custody. At this time, the youngster’s connection to the alleged shooting suspect or victims is unknown.
Broderick, the shooting suspect, is a former Travis County sheriff’s property crimes detective arrested in June 2020 on felony charges of sexual assault of a child. He managed to post bail after spending 16 days behind bars as he was released.
His alleged victim is a 16-year-old girl. The girl told her mom what happened on the day of the incident. The teen was evaluated at a local children’s medical center.
According to Kristen Dark, Broderick resigned from the sheriff’s department after his arrest, a Travis County Sheriff’s spokesperson.
Court and public records show that the shooting suspect’s wife filed for a protective order and divorce shortly after Broderick’s felony charges arrest, according to USA Today.
At 6:21 p.m., Chacon announced the shelter in place order was lifted. The police do not believe he is out randomly killing people.
Law enforcement units have begun to leave the Great Hills Trail area where the shooting happened as Chacon said the efforts to find Broderick now transition into a fugitive search.
Chacon pleaded with residents to remain cautious as this is still a dangerous situation. He reminded them not to approach the suspect and to call 9-1-1 to report sighting Broderick.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
ABC News: 3 dead in Texas shooting, suspect at large, considered armed and dangerous: Police; by matt Zarrell and Ivan Pereira
Fox News: Austin police identify former sheriff’s detective accused of rape as suspect behind massacre; by Evie Fordham and Bradford Betz
USA Today: ‘Danger remains high’: 3 dead in Austin shooting spree near The Arboretum shopping center; manhunt for suspect underway; by Alejandro Martinez-Cabrera, Tony Plohetski, and John Bacon
Austin American-Statesman: Travis County sheriff’s detective accused in sex assault of teen; by Hojan Choi
Featured Image Courtesy of Seth Granville’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License