'I was in control': Police documents reveal details on triple homicide outside Austin shopping center
Editor’s Note: The above video is KXAN’s previous coverage on the suspect accused in the Aug. 11, 2025, homicide in north Austin.
AUSTIN (KXAN) – The man accused of killing three people outside of a north Austin Target on Monday told police that he killed because “he realized [he] was Jesus,” and “to set everyone free,” according to police documents obtained by KXAN.
APD identified the victims as a 24-year-old Target employee known as Rosa Martinez Machuca and Adam Chow, 66. A child who was killed was not named by APD, but was identified as Chow’s granddaughter. She was four years old.
Ethan Nieneker, 32, told police after he was arrested that he chose to shoot people at random on Monday afternoon and tried to “get anyone [he] could,” according to Nieneker’s arrest warrant affidavit.
Nieneker told police a family member gave him the gun. He told police he wasn’t in control of his emotions or body, but later in the interview stated, “I was in control,” according to police documents.
Neineker told police he had no mental health diagnosis, had not used narcotics in the previous week, and had not consumed alcohol in a year.
Neinecker faces charges of Capital Murder by Terror Threat, Capital Murder of a person under 10, and first-degree murder. His bond is set at $2.5 million, according to Travis County records.
KXAN reached out to Nienecker’s attorney for additional information and to request a comment on the charges. This story will be updated when we receive a response.
“Ethan admitted he knew the difference between right and wrong. Ethan admitted everything he did was wrong,” the affidavit read.
Timeline
2:15 p.m.
Just after 2 p.m., the Austin Police Department responded to a shooting at the Target located at 8601 Research Blvd.
According to police, officers found three people with gunshot wounds in the parking lot. The shooting did not occur inside the store, APD said. A fourth person was treated for unrelated injuries, according to Austin-Travis County EMS.
When detectives arrived at the Target, they found 40 fired cartridge cases, according the arrest warrant affidavit.
Nieneker stole a gray Toyota 4-Runner and fled the scene, according to APD.
2:20 p.m.
APD said Nieneker found a water truck parked alongside the 7800 block of Mopac Expressway around 2:20 p.m. and “repeatedly assaulted the driver before pushing him out of the vehicle.”
Nieneker attempted to put the truck into drive but couldn’t, then jumped out of the truck and chased a male with a pistol in his hand before running back to the stolen 4-Runner and driving off, according to APD.
2:25 p.m.
At approximately 2:25 p.m., APD received a call reporting a multiple-vehicle crash. According to APD, Nieneker crashed the 4-Runner into a Volkswagen before landing on top of an Infiniti SUV.
APD said Nieneker exited the vehicle and went over to the Volkswagen, opened the door and “repeatedly assaulted the female driver of the Volkswagen” before pushing her out and stealing the Volkswagen and fleeing the scene.
KXAN was at that scene, off the frontage road between Executive Center Drive and Anderson Lane, where a black SUV had crashed into several parked vehicles and was resting on top of another.
2:34 p.m.
APD said a suspect matching Nieneker’s description exited the stolen Volkswagen and went up to a Waymo vehicle and attempted to break into it around 2:34 p.m. It did not work, so Nieneker returned to the stolen Volkswagen and drove away.
2:37 p.m.
An “acquaintance” who knew Nieneker through bible study reported that Nieneker had thrown a brick through his residence in the 2100 block of La Casa Drive.
Ethan told police he went to a friend’s house. He said when that friend did not let him inside, Nieneker broke their window, according to documents.
Around 3 p.m.
At 2:58 p.m., APD got a call about a naked male walking through a backyard in the 2400 block of La Casa Drive.
APD said Nieneker was seen running into a porta-potty and then leaving on foot.
Officers located Nieneker walking naked on Montclaire Street and issued commands. APD said Nieneker did not comply, so he was tased and taken into custody at 3:06 p.m.
Officers checked the area and found clothing in the porta-potty that matched the description of what Nieneker was previously wearing.
Ethan told police the reason he undressed in the porta-potty was not to conceal evidence, but to “put things he loved in a disgusting place,” according to the arrest warrant affidavit.
Nabil Remadna contributed to this story.
