The recent events in Austin marks another mass shooting near the end of 2023.

On Tuesday, Shane James Jr. killed 6 people and injured at least three others. James was eventually apprehended by police following a car chase and was identified the next day.

James is an Army veteran and had had a history of violent behavior prior to the shooting. According to Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, a domestic violence incident occurred in Jan. 2022 which led to James’s discharge from the Army.

The incident involved James’s parents and a sibling, and James was arrested and charged with three counts of misdemeanor assault. When speaking to a county victims advocacy worker, James’s family noted that he had mental health issues.

James had been considered a fugitive for a year and a half following the incident. Later in Aug. 2023, James’s father would call deputies to his home in San Antonio, with the deputies claiming that they would take James into custody on the 2022 warrants.

James had been found naked in a bedroom and had refused to exit while speaking to the deputies, allegedly insulting them through the door. No other calls had been made to the residence until Tuesday night.

James’s rampage first began sometime between 10 p.m. Monday and 9 a.m. Tuesday, in which he is believed to have killed both of his parents in their home. The Austin police department would later receive its first call for service at 10:43 a.m. after an Austin school district police sergeant had been shot near Northeast Early College High School.

At 11:59 a.m. police would respond to a double homicide, where a man and a woman had been shot on Shadywood Drive in South Austin. Later at 4:57 p.m. a male cyclist would call 911 dispatchers after reportedly being shot near 5701 W. Slaughter Lane. 

From 6:48-7:14 p.m. James would be confronted and pursued by police. During this time he would kill two more people and injure a police officer. 

This event is one of over 632 mass shootings this year. In addition, James is another perpetrator suffering from mental health issues similar to Robert Card, who committed another mass shooting in Maine in Nov.

Both events have left families in mourning and victims in recovery. These actions underscore the ongoing challenge of addressing issues related to violence and mental health, prompting a continued discussion on effective preventative measures.