At least three people were killed on Sunday, in a shooting incident in Austin, Texas, authorities said.
Austin police said its officers were “on scene of an active shooting incident” in the northwest part of the city, which is the capital of Texas.
Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Department said three “adult patients” were dead at the scene of the shooting, which was reported shortly before noon, local time.
“No additional patients have been reported or located at this time,” the department said on Twitter about an hour after the incident was first reported.
Police urged residents to avoid the area.
“Obviously this is a tragedy. We have people who have lost their lives here,” Interim Police Chief Joe Chacon said. “We’ll do our best … to get this person in custody.”
Chacon said the shooting appeared to stem from a domestic dispute. He identified the suspect as Stephen Nicholas Broderick, 41. Preliminary information indicated that Broderick knew the victims, two women and a man, and that the shooting was targeted. A child was involved, Chacon said, but was safe in police custody.
“However, danger remains high,” he said.
Records show Broderick, a former Travis County sheriff’s office detective, is facing charges of sexual assault of a child. Broderick was booked into jail in June and spent 16 days behind bars before posting bail, which was set at $50,000.
Broderick, a property crimes detective, resigned after his arrest, according to Travis County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Kristen Dark.
Court and public records show that Broderick’s wife filed for a protective order and divorce him shortly after his arrest.
Chacon described Broderick as 5 foot 7 inches with a medium build. Broderick was last seen wearing a gray hoodie, sunglasses and a baseball cap, Chacon said.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler said the shooting took place at Arboretum Oaks Apartments, which management describes on the website as a “luxury apartment community.”
“All residents are advised to shelter in place,” police said on social media. Police, fire and EMS responded; helicopters buzzed over the scene. Onlookers and reporters gathered but were kept several blocks from the scene.
The Austin-Travis County EMS, which responded to the shooting, described an an “active attack/shooter incident.” EMS said on Twitter that there were no reports of other injuries, and Chacon later said the shooting was no longer considered an active-shooter situation.