Texas Man Goes on Killing Spree, Slays Parents, 4 Others From San Antonio to Austin

A Texas man has gone on a rampage across the Lone Star State, killing six people, including his own parents, in a killing spree that spanned from San Antonio to Austin, Texas.

The suspect was identified as 34-year-old Shane James. He was charged with capital murder charges for the deaths of four people in Austin. He also stands accused of killing his parents, Phyllis James, 55, and Shane Matthew James Sr, 56, inside their home in San Antonio.

According to The Independent, James had a shootout with police in Austin and tried to flee in a car. However, he crashed his car and was taken into custody soon after.

During that shootout, Interim Austin Police Chief Robin Henderson told reporters that James managed to shoot two officers who both suffered multiple gunshot wounds. A cyclist was also wounded as collateral damage in the shootout. She added that James was responsible for a "series of violent incidents" that began on Tuesday morning and continued through the evening across two major cities in Texas.

According to the Texas man's family, he did not belong in jail as he was suffering from severe mental health issues. James has had a history of violence, being arrested back in 2022 in Bexar County after allegedly attacking a sibling and both his parents.

The four victims in Austin were all found dead inside two different homes and were not immediately identified, according to local police.

Texas Man's Parents Found Dead Inside House in San Antonio

Over in San Antonio, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar spoke at a news conference and said that Phyllis James, 55, and Shane James Sr., 56, were found inside their house already dead. The sheriff added that James will be charged with murder or capital murder in his parents' deaths, much like the killings he did in Austin.

The Associated Press reported that it is still not clear whether James already has any legal representation. However, he was a former US Army infantry officer who had had severe mental health issues in the past.

Texas Man Had a History of Violence Before His Deadly Killing Spree

In 2022, James was arrested for a domestic violence charge but was soon released on bond. However, the very next day, he violated the conditions of his release by cutting off his ankle monitor. He has never been arrested since.

According to KENS-5, a warrant for James's arrest was reissued on March 9, 2022, after he cut off his ankle monitor. However, it was not until 15 months later when police were called to his parents's home after his father reported that he was "acting out" and experiencing an apparent mental health episode.

Despite the arrest warrant, Bexar Deputies continued speaking to the younger James "through a crack in the door," but he did not go out. Entry to the room where he was holed up was "limited," and the frustrated deputies "retreated," telling his father that they should call the next time he got out.

That call never happened, and several months later, the parents and four other people were all dead. County deputies were not able to arrest him during that encounter.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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