AUSTIN, Texas — A man is dead after a shooting at an H-E-B in northeast Austin on Friday.
Austin police said the shooting happened at the H-E-B on West Canyon Ridge Drive, near I-35 and East Parmer Lane just before 4 p.m. A spokesperson with APD said officers were already on their way to the store for a trespass call when multiple 911 calls came in about a shooting.
According to authorities, they found a man with "obvious signs of trauma." He was taken to the hospital with critical, life-threatening injuries where he later died. The man's identity has not been revealed.
Police said that the person who opened fire stayed at the scene and that this was not an active shooter incident. They added that there was no further threat.
In a media briefing Friday night, APD said it has detained a person for questioning. They did not confirm their identity.
An H-E-B employee told KVUE that the location will be closed for the rest of the day Friday. Austin Police said they were unsure how long their investigation would take.
In a statement, a spokesperson with H-E-B said the company was cooperating with law enforcement.
Witnesses describe the chaotic scene
Eric Josserand said he was in the store when he heard six to seven gun shots. At first, he thought it was construction, but quickly realized it was gunfire.
Josserand said he had seen a man who appeared to be a security guard talking to a man near the check-out area.
"I think he was a security guard, but I couldn't tell if he was a cop or what. But he basically told him, you know, 'I can escort you out, but you got to leave,'" said Josserand.
Josserand added: "After the shots were fired, they wrestled for a minute or two and then the guy jumped up and the security guard jumped back up and pointed his gun back at him like he was going to shoot him again."
Josserand walked out safely but noted people were scared and were running when the shooting unfolded.
Josserand was in the store with his father. His father had already left the store before the shooting, and his girlfriend - who was also with them - decided to wait in the parking lot.
"Glad my girlfriend didn't go in," Josserand said. "Thinking about it, like every time I walk in, I'm going to think about it now. So, I probably [will] just go to a different [store]."
The incident is being investigated as Austin's 47th homicide of 2024.