Three teenagers, ages 15, 16, and 17, were arrested in connection with a 24-hour shooting spree in Austin, Texas, that left four people injured. The suspects allegedly carried out 12 separate shootings, including one at a fire station, and stole four cars during the rampage. The 17-year-old suspect, Cristian Mondragon-Fajardo, is the only named suspect, as he has reached the age of criminal responsibility under Texas law. Police say he had a warrant for allegedly stealing a firearm from a local store, and one 15-year-old suspect allegedly stole a weapon from the same store on Saturday. Mondragon-Fajardo is expected to be charged with multiple counts, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and theft of a firearm.
Dennis Farris, a retired Austin police officer and president of the Austin Police Retired Officers' Association, criticized the city council for stripping the police department of critical technology before the shooting rampage. Farris argued that the chaos could have been mitigated if the police had access to the tools they previously used.
The Austin Police Department has not publicly commented on the specific technology referenced by Farris. The city council has not issued a statement in response to the criticism.