Austin police have revealed the timeline and locations for multiple shootings and car thefts over the weekend, shedding light on a series of events that left a large swath of South Austin under a shelter-in-place warning Sunday and led to an hourslong police search that ended in a Manor neighborhood.
Three teenage suspects are in custody in connection with the alleged crimes, including 17-year-old Cristian Fajardo Mondragon, a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy. The 15- and 16-year-old boys are juveniles and have not been identified publicly, but Mondragon is considered an adult under Texas law.
Formal charges are still pending, but police said Monday they intend to file charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, deadly conduct, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, evading arrest, theft of a firearm and “other related offenses."
Four people were injured by gunfire Sunday, however, according to police:
- At 8:46 a.m. at 7409 Janes Ranch Road in Southeast Austin, someone was shot in the back and stomach and taken to a hospital. In a Sunday news conference, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said this victim was a man walking his dog.
- At 1:44 p.m. at 2223 Burton Drive in East Austin, two people were shot in a drive-by shooting.
- At 2:29 p.m. at 11700 Dionda Lane in Del Valle, one person sustained gunshot wounds and suffered life-threatening injuries. That person was still recovering in an area hospital.
Police said the suspects caused damage to at least five vehicles, including some used by the Austin Fire Department.
Police also identified two shootings at Austin fire stations, both of which resulted in damage to emergency vehicles.
Four homes struck by gunfire
The first shooting of the weekend occurred at 3:58 p.m. Saturday at 10 Yucca Drive, a trailer home in Southeast Austin, police said. Officers found bullet damage to the structure.
The first confirmed shooting location, 10 Yucca Drive, in Austin, Monday, May 18, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Two East Austin apartment complexes were struck by gunfire Saturday evening, police said.
At 4:30 p.m., officers responded to the Whisper Hollow apartment complex at Parker Lane, where multiple vehicles and an occupied apartment were struck. Police said adults and young children were inside the apartment, but no injuries were reported.
At 6:08 p.m., another shooting was reported at an apartment complex at 1601 Montopolis Drive. Police said the suspects got out of the vehicle and fired through the door of a third-floor apartment. No injuries were reported.
1601 Montopolis Drive in Austin, Monday, May 18, 2026.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
The homeowner on Cypress Bend, whose vehicle was struck by gunfire, found bullet holes in his home as well.
Two fire stations, three fire department vehicles fired upon
The suspects allegedly targeted two fire stations — one in East Austin and one in West Austin.
At 8:49 p.m. Saturday, police said shots were fired from a vehicle into the garage doors of Austin Fire Station 26 at 6702 Wentworth Drive in East Austin. The gunfire struck emergency response vehicles and equipment, police said.
At 10:46 a.m. Sunday, shots were fired at Austin Fire Station 32 at 2804 Montebello Road in West Austin. That shooting was described similarly to the previous fire station shooting — police said the suspects fired from a vehicle while the garage doors were open, striking an Austin Fire Department vehicle and the building.
During both fire station shootings, firefighters were inside the building, but no injuries were reported, police said.
Five stolen vehicles tied shootings across Austin
Investigators determined that at some point the suspects had stolen a dark-colored Hyundai Sonata from the Social Apartments at 1817 E. Oltorf St. That vehicle was used in the initial shootings on Saturday as well as the gun theft, police said.
The additional stolen vehicles were listed as a Hyundai Elantra stolen from a Motel 6 parking lot in East Austin Saturday evening, an unidentified vehicle stolen at 3:50 a.m. Sunday in East Austin and a white Kia Optima stolen from Southeast Austin at 1:27 p.m. Sunday.
Police believe the suspects in multiple shootings on May 16 and 17 stole a white Kia Optima.
Courtesy of the Austin Police Department
Officials also recovered a stolen vehicle at 7:45 a.m. Sunday at 1800 E. Stassney Lane in Southeast Austin. The vehicle had bullet damage, and police believe it was used in the shootings.
One gun stolen before first shooting
The weekend’s events began with a firearm stolen from Central Texas Gun Works late Saturday morning, police said. Law enforcement responded to 321 W. Ben White Blvd. around 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Surveillance footage from the business showed the dark-colored Hyundai Sonata that officers later identified as stolen.
Central Texas Gun Works in Austin, Monday, May 18, 2026.
Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman
Davis said in Sunday’s news conference that the 15-year-old suspect stole a gun from a store that the 17-year-old — Mondragon — had stolen from previously. Police did not share additional details, but Central Texas Gun Works owner Michael Cargill held a news conference Monday claiming the suspect was part of a group involved in a gun theft at his store in January. Police have not confirmed the connection.