Shane James: Texas man arrested over killing spree that included his parents and four others
AUSTIN, TEXAS: Shane James, 34, suspected of carrying out a series of killings stretching from San Antonio to Austin, was arrested and charged in the early hours of December 6 with multiple counts of capital murder.
According to a statement from the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, James is expected to remain in custody pending a trial.
He allegedly spent an entire day terrorizing multiple communities, and his rampage came to an end as he crashed his car during a police pursuit in the evening, reported the New York Post.
The accused reportedly has a history of mental health problems and of violent outbursts. He was previously arrested once on charges of assaulting family members and had been discharged from the military over a domestic violence incident.
Shane James allegedly began his rampage by killing his parents
The parents of the accused, 55-year-old Phyllis James and 56-year-old Shane James Sr, were discovered dead in their San Antonio home following the arrest of their son.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said in a news conference that officers arrived at the residence to find the water running, and the bodies of the couple inside.
They are believed to have been killed on the night of December 4 or in the early hours of December 5.
Mentioning that the couple were shot in the “upper body," Salazar added, "We know that it was at least several gunshots from a large caliber handgun."
After the murders, James allegedly stole his father’s truck and drove over 80 miles to Austin, where he continued his run of terror.
Shane James is accused of shooting indiscriminately in Austin
At around 10.45 am, James allegedly shot and injured an Austin Independent School District officer in the leg. He then went to a nearby home and fatally shot Emmanuel Pop Ba, 32, and Sabrina Rahman, 24.
James then allegedly went on to shoot a man on a bicycle, and an Austin police officer in the evening. The officer was responding to a call reporting a home burglary. Inside the home, two more people were found dead, reported CNN.
Officials caught up with James at the scene of the final shooting around 7 pm. The suspect tried to flee, which led to a short car chase and his arrest.
