Houston : Two Texas towns, Austin and San Antonio, saw a series of killings and shootings on Tuesday that left six people dead and three injured, including two police officers.
In San Antonio, a home close to the 6400 block of Port Royal Street revealed the bodies of a man and a woman in their 50s. According to media sources, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar stated that authorities think the man and the lady were slain prior to Tuesday’s spate of shootings in Austin.
Officials from Bexar County were informed by the Austin Police Department that the perpetrator in the shooting spree in Austin had ties to the Port Royal Street home.
According to the Austin American-Statesman, a newspaper published in Austin, authorities believe that 34-year-old male Shane James is the culprit behind the double homicide in San Antonio as well as the murders and shootings that have occurred in Austin. However, they have not stated how James is related to the San Antonio crime scene.
According to media reports from Texas publications, the two victims were quiet, orderly, and solitary. Their only public appearances were when they took their dog for walks around the neighborhood. This was confirmed by neighbors in the Port Royal Street cul-de-sac who were questioned by the daily.
One neighbour said she did not see or hear any disturbances on the street or the house next door until Bexar County detectives knocked on her door late Tuesday night. Michelle Coan said she has lived on Port Royal Street for over two decades. She recalled seeing the male victim and his son playing basketball on their driveway many years ago and called them “beyond normal,” noting their cul-de-sac is always very peaceful and quiet.
Coan said she frequently saw the male victim walking the family’s small white dog around the neighbourhood in the early morning and evenings, frequently exchanging cordial remarks. She said the female victim would wave at her when they crossed paths on the street but was more reserved than the man.
“It’s a weird sense of loss to lose your neighbours,” Coan said, adding that even though they weren’t close, she would miss seeing the couple walking the dog and knowing they were at home.
