A late-night outing at a north Austin bar ended in tragedy Saturday when gunfire in a strip-mall corridor off I-35 left one person dead and another wounded, according to Austin police. Officers and Austin-Travis County EMS rushed both victims to a nearby hospital as detectives from APD's homicide unit moved in on a scene that remains under active investigation.
Austin police say the shooting happened just before midnight on July 4 near the intersection of East Braker Lane and North Interstate Highway 35. Both victims were taken to a local hospital. One was pronounced dead shortly before 12:30 a.m., while the second was reported in stable condition. The Austin Police Department has detained one person of interest as homicide detectives follow up on witness statements and video evidence, according to KXAN.
Police Ask for Tips
Investigators are urging anyone who saw the shooting or has video of what happened to come forward. Police asked people to call the APD homicide tip line at 512-477-3588 or Austin Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477, according to the Austin Police Department. Tips can be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
Where It Happened
The shooting took place in the Braker Lane and I-35 frontage-road corridor, an area local outlets note has drawn repeated police attention after past late-night trouble. APD is investigating the case as Austin's 32nd homicide of 2026, per reporting by KXAN, and detectives are reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses. Neighbors and business owners in the strip-mall stretch have pressed the city for stepped-up patrols in the area, according to stepped-up patrols.
