South By Southwest Shooting: Suspect In Custody After 4 Injured From Gunfire

A suspect is in custody following a shooting Sunday that left four people injured in downtown Austin, Texas, at the South by Southwest festival. The four victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to the hospital.

The shooting took place on Sunday around 2:50 a.m. when the Austin Police Department sent out a tweet warning residents to avoid the downtown area due to gunfire.

“Shots fired on the 400 block of 6th St. Non-life-threatening injuries. Suspect still at large. Officers securing the area. Avoid the area,” the department tweeted at the time.

By 5 a.m., the Austin Police Department released an update stating the suspect was in custody. Authorities have yet to release the shooter’s identity.

South by Southwest first launched in 1987 and featured a small showcase of up-and-coming musicians. The festival has since expanded to film, arts, technology, and more.

The festival has gone virtual the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, making 2022 its return to an in-person event.

During the last in-person festival in 2019, the event ended with multiple shootings. At the time, Austin police vowed to improve the level of security for future events in the area.

Following the latest shooting, the Austin Police Department is asking anyone with information to call into Crime Stoppers with tips.