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Handgun found one block from incident

 

The Austin Police Department is investigating after several bullet shell casings were found Sunday morning near a Northwest Austin residence.

According to Austin Police Chief David McKichan, officers responded to a report of shots being actively fired at 3:11 a.m. on Sunday in the 900 block of Third Avenue Northwest. Numerous cars were seen leaving the area as officers arrived. Officers found several scattered items at the scene, including shell casings.

According to a witness, at least six shots were believed to have been fired outside a nearby residence. Another witness returned to the scene and had several bullet holes in their vehicle, which they believe occurred as they drove off from the area.

The owner of the home where the activity was centered was not cooperative, prompting officers to set up a perimeter around the home and apply for a search warrant. While awaiting that warrant, a juvenile subject fled the scene and was apprehended hiding behind a parked vehicle in the 900 block of Second Avenue Northwest.

McKichan said the juvenile, a 15-year-old male from Austin, was believed to be tied to the shooting.

A search warrant was executed by the Austin/Mower Special Incident Response Team due to the believed presence of a handgun and an additional subject tied to the shooting inside the home. Police located 15-20 people inside the residence.

An adult male believed to be tied to the shooting, Eric Starnes Jr., 24, was taken into custody. A juvenile runaway was also located.

A handgun was later located on a driveway in the 900 block of Second Avenue Northwest at the same location identified as where the officers had found the juvenile hiding.

The case is still under investigation.