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Posted on 05/18/2026 6:08:19 PM PDT by Red Badger
shootings, stolen vehicles, and related violent crimes that occurred across Austin between Saturday, May 16, 2026, and Sunday, May 17, 2026.
The three suspects in custody are:
Cristian Fajardo Mondragon, 17 years of age bccbac24 a439 534e 2870 6dcf131d8a57
Hispanic male, 16 years of age
Hispanic male, 15 years of age
Because two of the suspects are juveniles under Texas law, APD is limited in what information can be publicly released regarding their identities, booking information, and detention status. The 17-year-old suspect, Cristian Mondragon-Fajardo, has reached the age of criminal responsibility under Texas law and may be publicly identified in connection with filed criminal charges.
Formal charges remain under review and are expected to include multiple counts related to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault/motor vehicle, deadly conduct, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, evading arrest, theft of a firearm, and other related offenses. Additional charges may be filed as investigators continue reviewing ballistic evidence, surveillance footage, witness statements, and recovered evidence.
At this time, investigators believe the incidents were a mix of random and targeted shootings. Some victims were known to the suspects, while other incidents appeared to occur without any known connection. Investigators do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public related to these incidents.
The timeline of events is as follows:
Saturday, May 16, 2026
11:30 a.m. – Officers received a report of a stolen firearm from a business located at 321 W. Ben White Boulevard. Surveillance footage identified the suspect vehicle as a dark-colored Hyundai Sonata. Investigators later determined the Hyundai Sonata had itself been stolen from the Social Apartments located at 1817 E. Oltorf Drive.
3:58 p.m. – 10 Yucca Drive – The first confirmed shooting occurred at a trailer residence. Officers located multiple shell casings and bullet damage to the structure. No injuries were reported.
4:30 p.m. – 3300 Parker Lane – Officers responded to another shooting at the Whisper Hollow apartment complex. Multiple vehicles and an occupied apartment were struck by gunfire, including rooms occupied by adults and young children. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. Investigators recovered shell casings from the scene and obtained surveillance footage showing a black sedan involved in the shooting.
6:08 p.m. – 1601 Montopolis Drive – A third shooting occurred at an apartment complex. Investigators learned that the suspect(s) exited the vehicle on foot and fired through the door of a third-floor apartment. No injuries were reported. Witnesses observed a suspect wearing a black hoodie enter a black sedan and flee the scene. Investigators obtained surveillance footage, which linked this shooting to the previous shootings. Detectives began investigating this as a series of shootings.
6:19 p.m. – 4802 Cypress Bend – An unoccupied residence was struck by gunfire. The homeowner later returned to his residence to discover bullet holes that has been struck through his home and vehicle. Investigators recovered video footage from a neighboring residence that captured a dark-colored sedan matching the vehicle that was involved in previous incidents.
7:00 p.m. – 2707 S IH-35 Service Road North – A Hyundai Elantra was stolen from a Motel 6 parking lot. Investigators obtained video capturing images of the suspects, which matched the descriptions from previous incidents.
8:30 p.m. – 6575 Decker Lane – Shots were fired at a business and nearby vehicles. A witness stated that a suspect fired a gun into the air from a vehicle. No damage or injuries were reported.
8:49 p.m. – Austin Fire Station 26, 6702 Wentworth Drive – A suspect fired shots from a vehicle into the Austin Fire (AFD) station garage doors, while firefighters were inside. The gunfire struck emergency response vehicles and equipment. No firefighters were injured.
8:55 p.m. - 5701 Purple Sage Drive – Two victims reported that suspect(s) fired shots from their vehicle, striking the windshield of the victim’s vehicle, which was parked and attended. One victim, who was sitting inside the vehicle when it was struck, received minor injuries from the shattered windshield glass. The witnesses described the suspects driving in a dark-colored sedan, which matched the description of the sedan used in previous incidents.
Sunday, May 17, 2026
3:50 a.m. – 2336 Douglas Street – Another stolen vehicle was reported.
7:45 a.m. – 1800 E. Stassney Lane – Officers recovered a stolen vehicle containing bullet damage believed to be connected to the ongoing incidents.
8:46 a.m. – 7409 Janes Ranch Road – A victim was shot in the back and stomach and transported to a hospital. A witness described a dark-colored sedan driving away after hearing shots fired, linking this incident to the incidents of the prior day.
9:00 a.m. – South First Street and Ben White Boulevard – Officers located one of the stolen Hyundai vehicles connected to the investigation, but the vehicle eluded before officers could attempt a traffic stop.
9:30 a.m. – Investigators recovered additional stolen vehicles in Southeast Austin believed to be tied to the suspects and shootings.
10:46 a.m. – Austin Fire Station 32, 2804 Monticello Road – Another shooting involving a gold-colored sedan was reported. A suspect fired shots from a vehicle into the Austin Fire (AFD) station while the garage doors were open, striking an AFD vehicle and the building structure. Firefighters were inside during the shooting. A witness told a firefighter they observed a suspect in a gold sedan firing into the station.
1:27 p.m. – 4501 S IH-35 Service Road North – Investigators believe the suspects stole a white Kia Optima later used in several shootings.
1:44 p.m. – 2223 Burton Drive – Two victims were shot during a drive-by shooting involving the white Kia Optima. As officers searched for the suspect vehicle, portions of Burton Drive near East Oltorf Lane were temporarily shut down as part of the active investigation and emergency response. Detectives reviewed camera footage that corroborated what the victims reported to officers.
1:53 p.m. – 6118 Fairway Street – Another shooting involving the white sedan was reported.
2:02 p.m. – 10001 Burleson Road – Additional shots-fired incident reported.
2:29 p.m. – 11700 Dionda Lane – A victim sustained gunshot wounds and was transported to a trauma center with life-threatening injuries. At this time, the victim is continuing to be treated at a local hospital. Investigators located surveillance footage showing a white Kia sedan approaching a victim before the victim fell to the ground. The Kia then fled the scene.
3:23 p.m. – FM 973 Area – The stolen white Kia Optima was located by Manor Police Department officers after a BOLO was broadcast to surrounding agencies. Manor Police Department and Travis County Sheriff’s Office deputies pursued the vehicle until the suspects drove into a field near FM 973 and abandoned the vehicle. Three suspects fled on foot. One suspect was apprehended near the vehicle. A second suspect was located nearby after an extensive search involving K9s, air support, and multiple agencies. The third suspect was detained later after Manor PD responded to a suspicious person call near FM 973. All three suspects were ultimately taken into custody.
In total, over the course of the 12 shootings:
Four people were struck by gunfire. Three victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries. One victim sustained critical injuries and was transported to a trauma center.
Five vehicles were struck by gunfire.
Four residences were struck by gunfire.
Two fire stations were struck by gunfire.
Three fire department vehicles were struck by gunfire.
At least five vehicles were stolen.
One firearm was stolen.
Investigators connected the incidents through surveillance footage, witness statements, ballistic evidence, stolen vehicle reporting and recoveries, recovered shell casings, officer observations, and coordinated intelligence sharing between agencies.
APD utilized numerous investigative resources, in addition to the Aggravated Assault Unit, throughout the investigation, including:
Air Support
K9 units
Metro Tactical teams
Tactical Intelligence Unit
Violent Crimes Task Force
Patrol resources
SWAT teams
Crime scene specialists
Austin Fire (AFD)
Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services (ATCEMS)
Texas DPS
Travis County Sheriff’s Office
Manor Police Department
AISD Police Department
Del Valle ISD Police Department
University of Texas Police Department
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
At this time, investigators are still processing evidence, including shell casings, surveillance footage, stolen vehicles, and digital evidence. The investigation remains ongoing.
At this stage of the investigation, APD is aware of the contribution of license plate reader (LPR) technology that assisted in the apprehension of the suspects in Manor. In addition, investigators relied heavily on officer observations, coordinated BOLO information, witness reports, surveillance footage, and regional law enforcement coordination.
Anyone with information related to these incidents is asked to contact the APD Aggravated Assault Unit at 512-974-5245. You can also submit tips anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477.
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why did three mexican teens try to shoot up a muslim center? Was it a mistake???
Different shooting, in Texas...........
Supposedly there was “racist” racial pride scribbled in a gun?
https://x.com/lookner/status/2056501231988699572?s=46
got it. Busy day for the looneys I guess
If this keeps up we’re gonna need a programme. Can’t tell the players apart without a programme.........
Only we don’t know what race!...........La Raza?............
La Raza?
What they are leaving out is Austin turned off their FROCK cameras and Manor did not. They had the licence plate numbers of all the vehicles involved from the start. They had a hit less than a minute after they entered Manor and officers were on them right after with the system actively tracking them the whole time. Say what you want about automatic plate readers they are effective in finding criminals and fast. They also allow for GeoINT professionals to build a pattern of life for ties to secondary criminal contacts.
Austin put a entire city at risk because they defunded the FROCK system after the summer of love riots as “racist” or some other nonsense.
New Moon over the weekend. Usually a full moon is the harbinger of crazy.
New Moon On Monday
“Because two of the suspects are juveniles under Texas law, APD is limited in what information can be publicly released regarding their identities, booking information, and detention status.”
Texas law needs to be changed. It is time to stop coddling violent criminals just because they are younger. I am wondering if they are even US citizens.
An earlier piece said Austin turned off their license plate readers because ICE might find them useful.
Looks like cars these days are pretty easy to steal.
Ah yes Austin don’t surprise me about ICE.
Yes Kia/ Hyundai of certain years were shipped without electronic keys or interlocks so you can just use a screwdriver and pop the ignition out and turn it or there is many a video how to use a USB cable to hot wire one in seconds again breaking the column plastics. Super easy and well documented on socials. They got class action lawsuits over it and some States themselves filed too. They sent out 90s era car clubs like the steering wheel klub.
Yup I remembered this.
“Hyundai and Kia agreed to a massive class-action settlement to resolve claims that certain 2011–2022 models lacked engine immobilizers, making them highly vulnerable to theft. Following an appeals process, the settlement became effective in January 2026, though the deadline to file primary claims was April 28, 2025. Additionally, a 36-state coalition reached an agreement requiring the automakers to offer further security hardware upgrades and limited restitution”
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