Astrid Fung was 4 and riding in her grandfather’s SUV in a North Austin Target parking lot on August 11, 2025, when gunfire turned an ordinary afternoon into a deadly rampage. Police say the attacker first shot Target employee Rosa Martinez Machuca as she gathered shopping carts at 8601 Research Boulevard, then ran to the 4Runner and fired into the driver’s seat and the back seat where Astrid sat. Her grandfather, 65-year-old Adam Chow, was also shot and both he and Astrid died; Chow’s wife pulled Astrid from the vehicle in a desperate attempt to save her. The assailant shoved the grandmother aside, stole the SUV and fled, triggering a chaotic spree across the city that included crashes, assaults and attempted carjackings.

Officers located a 32-year-old man, Ethan Nieneker, in South Austin; reports say he was naked, holding a Bible and claiming to be Jesus when taken into custody after resisting commands and being stunned. He was booked on multiple counts including capital murder, with additional felony charges later appearing in jail records and a judge ordering a mental-health evaluation. Friends and family described Astrid as a joyful child, and a verified fundraiser for funeral and memorial costs drew swift community support.

Did anyone in the area that afternoon see the shooter approach the lot or notice anything unusual before the violence began?