FILE PHOTO
At least one person was killed and four others wounded in a shooting in Austin, Texas early Sunday, with police warning that the shooter was still at large.
The incident began shortly after 2:15am in a busy downtown area filled with bars and nightclubs, with police warning people on Twitter to steer clear of the area due to an “active shooter”.
“Active shooter incident downtown, multiple victims. Stay away from downtown,” Austin police tweeted.
One woman was killed and three other women were rushed to a local hospital with gunshot wounds, the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services said.
A fifth victim, a man, refused aid, the ATCEMS said.
Police later confirmed there had been a second, separate shooting incident in the area, which took place just minutes later, although only the gunman was injured.
Police across the country, and especially in Texas, remain on edge after a rash of shooting incidents, including one on July 7 in Dallas which saw five officers shot dead by a black extremist as they were protecting a peaceful march against police brutality.
At the time, police initially thought they were facing multiple shooters. Instead, it turned out to be one individual armed with a rifle who was firing from different spots.
AFP
