AUSTIN, Texas — A violent day across Central Texas ended with a man in custody, facing capital murder charges in connection with multiple incidents.
Austin and San Antonio investigators strongly believe one man, 34-year-old Shane Matthew James Jr., is responsible for four shootings across the Austin area and a double murder in San Antonio on Tuesday, Dec. 5. In total, six people are dead across the two cities, with three more injured, including two police officers. All of the injured are expected to be OK.
On Wednesday, police identified two of the Austin homicide victims, a young mother and a 32-year-old man. Bexar County authorities identified the San Antonio homicide victims as the suspect's parents.
Let's break down the timeline of events, according to investigators.
What happened?
The Bexar County Sheriff's Office said it all started in the San Antonio area. Phyllis James, 55, and Shane James Sr., 56, who the sheriff said were the suspect's parents, were found dead "wedged inside a very small room" in a home east of San Antonio. Sheriff Javier Salazar described the scene as "grisly."
RELATED: BCSO: Two bodies found in northeast Bexar County home, suspect believed to be in custody in Austin
Then, at around 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, investigators say James shot an Austin ISD Police Department officer outside Northeast Early College High School on Berkman Drive in northeast Austin. Investigators said there was no interaction between the officer and James before the shooting.
Austin ISD said the officer, Sgt. Val Barnes, was shot in the leg and was released from the hospital on Tuesday afternoon. He is now recovering at home. According to the AISD police department, 15 different agencies responded to the scene.
Northeast Early College High School went on lockdown for several hours before students were released early on Tuesday. Classes and school activities were canceled for Wednesday, but the campus will be open for students and staff who want to be there for any reason.
Then, just before 12 p.m. on Tuesday, the Austin Police Department (APD) received multiple calls for help to a home off Shadywood Drive in South Austin. When officers arrived on the scene, they found a man and a woman with "obvious signs of trauma" to their bodies.
The victims have been identified as 32-year-old Emmanuel Pop Ba and 24-year-old Sabrina Rahman. According to KVUE's media partners at the Austin American-Statesman, Rahman was a mother who had moved into her family's new home with her husband and their 12-month-old child the day before.
“She was so excited. She took the baby for a stroller walk,” Marshall Hussain, her uncle, told the Statesman.
Hussain said Pop Ba was a handyman who was helping the family move into the house. He was reportedly getting into his car for lunch when the shooter approached.
Hussain told the Statesman a neighbor found the baby and the stroller following the shooting. He believes Rahman saw the shooter and ran to hide the baby.
Pop Ba was pronounced dead at the scene, while Rahman died at a hospital.
At the time of the Shadywood Drive incident, investigators had not connected the shootings to a single suspect.
Police believe after this shooting, James headed further southwest, where he shot someone riding their bike on West Slaughter Lane just before 5 p.m. The cyclist called 911 themselves, and police said they should be able to recover from their injuries.
The next incident is when police were able to make first contact with James.
At around 6:45 p.m., APD officers got a call about a burglary in progress at 5307 Austral Loop in southwest Austin's Circle C neighborhood. Surveillance video showed James wearing a long-sleeved shirt wielding a handgun, forcibly trying to kick down the back door of the residence. Officers arrived at the scene at 6:54 p.m.
APD said when officers arrived, James began shooting at them. Officers returned fire but did not hit James. He then left the scene in a stolen car and was pursued by APD officers.
While James was pursued by some officers, a number of other officers entered the residence and located two women suffering from gunshot wounds, identified as 56-year-old Katherine Short and 30-year-old Lauren Short. Officers attempted life-saving measures, but both died on the scene.
At 6:55 p.m., the officers on the scene called for backup, Austin-Travis County EMS medics and Austin Fire Department crews because an APD officer had been shot. That officer is going to be OK, according to APD.
Police chased James until he crashed his car near State Highway 45 and FM 1826. APD Interim Chief Robin Henderson said officers took James into custody and that he did have a gun on him.
While some of the responding officers were chasing James, other officers found two people dead inside the home on Austral Loop where the robbery was taking place.
James was taken to the Travis County Jail, where he was charged with four counts of capital murder, plus two charges for felony aggravated assault against a public servant. He was also booked for a family violence charge. On Dec. 6, James attempted to escape custody, and deputies had to use force to subdue him.
Interim Chief Henderson said, per APD policy, body camera footage from this incident will be released within 10 days.
The officer who fired their weapon is on administrative leave, per the department's policy. They have been with APD for 12 years.
It is not clear at this time if James knew any of his alleged victims or if these were random attacks.
Anyone with any information about any of these incidents is asked to call APD.
On Wednesday morning, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott released the following statement regarding the crime spree across Austin and San Antonio:
"Texans grieve for the loved ones of the six Texans who were murdered by a hardened criminal who must never see the light of day again. The murderer also shot two law enforcement officers in the line of duty. Texas is a law-and-order state, and violence will never be tolerated. We thank all state and local law enforcement and first responders who apprehended this criminal and protected their communities. The State of Texas will provide all resources necessary to impose the full weight of law on this criminal for his despicable crimes. Cecilia and I ask our fellow Texans to join us in lifting up in prayer the families and loved ones of those who were killed, as well as the Texans who are recovering from injuries, including an Austin Police Officer and an Austin Independent School District police officer."
President Joe Biden released the following statement after the incidents in Austin and San Antonio, as well as a shooting at the University of Nevada Las Vegas on Wednesday:
"Yesterday, in Austin and San Antonio, at least six people were killed and several more injured by a gunman—leaving families devastated, and communities forever changed. And just hours ago, the University of Nevada at Las Vegas became the latest college campus to be terrorized by a horrific act of gun violence, and the community is still awaiting information on casualties.
"Jill and I join citizens across our nation in praying for the families of our fallen, and for those who were injured during these latest acts of senseless violence. We are also grateful for the courageous work of law enforcement—who risked their own safety to bring an end to these deadly shooting sprees. Federal law enforcement officials are on the ground working with State and local law enforcement in both states and I have directed that all necessary support be provided to assist in the investigations and support these communities.
"This year alone, our nation has experienced more than 600 mass shootings, and approximately 40,000 deaths due to gun violence. This is not normal, and we can never let it become normal.
"For all the action we have taken since I’ve been President, the epidemic of gun violence we face demands that we do even more. But we cannot do more without Congress. Republican lawmakers must join with Democrats in Congress to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, pass a national red flag law, enact universal background checks, require the safe storage of guns, and advance other commonsense measures that will help stem the tide of gun violence. And together, we must do more to prevent more families, and more communities like Austin, San Antonio, and Las Vegas, from being ripped apart by gun violence."
Criminal history
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said James had a previous criminal history, including a domestic violence charge in January of 2022. Later that month, his bond conditions were changed to allow him to have contact with his family, the victims in that case.
Sheriff Salazar said the bond conditions change was at the request of his family, with the assistance of a victim's advocacy group, Texas Organizing Project. He was released on bond and returned home with his family in March of 2022. The sheriff says he cut off his ankle monitor at that point.
In August of 2023, James encountered deputies again when they responded to a call for a mental health episode at his parent's address. In that incident, Sheriff Salazar says deputies were not able to take him into custody due to James creating a barrier between himself and the deputies.
The Texas Organizing Project released the following statement following the shootings involving James:
"Texas Organizing Project (TOP) is profoundly saddened and deeply troubled by the recent tragic events involving Shane James. We condemn his most recent egregious acts, full stop. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the victims and their families during this incredibly difficult time.
"Through our justice program, we bailed out James in coordination with the Bexar County’s public defender’s office, nearly two years ago in February 2022 on misdemeanor charges where his bond fees totaled $300. The events that have unfolded are devastating, and we recognize the pain and suffering this incident has caused. We take our responsibilities seriously and acknowledge that we must address both the immediate impact of this tragedy and the broader implications for our bail program.
"TOP was founded with a commitment to transforming Texas into a state that works for everyone. A piece of our work is reforming the criminal justice system, advocating for fairness, and providing support to those who have often been marginalized and underserved. We firmly believe in the presumption of innocence until proven guilty and our mission is to ensure that individuals have the opportunity to address their legal challenges while awaiting trial in a just and equitable manner.
"We want to make clear that TOP has a thorough and rigorous screening process in place to assess individuals who are eligible for our bail program, with a focus on assisting with misdemeanor offenses. James was deemed eligible based on our criteria at the time. However, TOP has had no interaction with James since March 2022. We acknowledge that our assessments cannot anticipate the future actions of individuals. We are committed to conducting a comprehensive internal review of our program and processes.
"We understand that some may try to use this tragedy to criticize bail programs, even for misdemeanors. We remain steadfast in our commitment to our mission, advocating for the rights and representation of all Texans.
"Additionally, we are acutely aware of the urgent need to address gun violence as an endemic issue in Texas and across the United States. We can’t ignore the larger context in which incidents like these occur. Our commitment to transforming our state and nation’s criminal justice system includes advocating for sensible gun control measures and community safety initiatives that can help prevent tragedies."
According to court records, James is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 18, 2024.