State Watch

4 hurt in shooting near South by Southwest festival

A shooting early Sunday morning wounded four people in downtown Austin, Texas as the city hosts its annual South by Southwest festival (SXSW), police said.

The Austin Police Department warned residents via Twitter that shots were fired in the area, which led to non-life-threatening injuries. All the victims were taken to the hospital. Police said officers were securing the area and warned residents to avoid it.

Police said a suspect was in custody overnight and gave the all-clear early Sunday morning. 

Multiple shootings in 2019 took place as the festival drew to a close, according to the Associate Press. The shootings led Austin’s police chief Brian Manley to pledge for more security for the city’s entertainment district.