Deadly weekend in Austin after multiple homicides: What we know

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department is busy investigating four deadly shootings that left five people dead over the July 15-16 weekend.

Austin police tell KXAN there have now been 39 homicides so far this year.

"It is a very busy night [Sunday] here in Austin," said Cpl. Jose Mendez with APD.

APD has 16 detectives on the homicide unit, but there are shortages and that means some detectives also have to do patrol duty, which isn't normal for this position.

"I know that the detectives are somewhat overwhelmed due to having a shortage of them," Mendez said.

KXAN asked APD how many positions they needed to fill in the homicide division. This story will be updated if we receive a response.

However, APD said they could use more detectives, which will allow officers to devote more time to each case.

"The number of police officers on the force isn't always a deterrent to homicides," Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said.

Watson said he is working hard to get the staffing levels back where they should be in APD, but it has been difficult after inheriting a department with so many vacancies.

"One of the reasons why I want to see us get our numbers up in the police department is in the solving of crime, in the capturing of someone involved," Watson said.

The 39 homicides this year have been distributed among the 16 homicide detectives while they also respond to other deaths including suicides, overdoses, accidents and natural deaths.

Homicide 36: Saturday in west Austin

Police identified the man killed Saturday morning in the parking lot of a west Austin apartment complex, and they’re now offering a reward to anyone who can help catch the shooter.

The Austin Police Department shared Monday the victim’s name is Jarod Mason, 45. Investigators said he died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds. They added they now believe “multiple suspects left the scene in a vehicle” after the shooting, according to a news release.

Homicide 37: Sunday in southeast Austin

 Austin Police Department investigators believe a man shot and killed his wife before shooting and killing himself in southeast Austin Sunday, according to an APD release Monday.

APD said officers responded to a home around 4:30 p.m. Sunday in the 7500 block of South Glenn Street, which is near McKinney Falls Parkway and Burleson Road.

Officers found 73-year-old Eva Carol Dotson Penton and 65-year-old Timothy McDonald dead inside the home with gunshot wounds, APD said in the release.

Homicide 38: Sunday in southeast Austin

After responding to a homicide in southeast Austin on Sunday, Austin police officers were dispatched to another homicide around 8:30 p.m. in east Austin.

APD Cpl. Jose Mendez said a Hispanic man in his 40s was found dead near an abandoned building “with obvious trauma to his body,” near the intersection of East 52nd Street and Cameron Road. APD responded to the call at 8:28 p.m.

First responders attempted lifesaving measures when they found the man, but he was pronounced dead at 8:53 p.m., Mendez said. The intersection is just east of Interstate 35.

Mendez said two people were involved in a “verbal altercation that led one subject to shoot the other,” and investigators think the two people knew each other. APD doesn’t have anyone in custody, but there’s a person of interest and Mendez said APD is “doing everything we can to locate the individual to determine what took place this evening.

Homicide 39: Sunday in east Austin

Austin Police said detectives investigated the third homicide of the night Sunday after a teen died at a gas station on Airport Boulevard.

Police said officers were called to the Valero near Gunter Street and Goodwin Avenue just after 9 p.m. for a report of gunshots.

Officers found the teen inside the gas station with “obvious trauma”, according to APD.

APD said officers and paramedics with Austin-Travis County EMS tried to save him but the teen died at the scene at 9:21 p.m.

Police said the shooting appeared to be a targeted incident and that police recovered several guns. According to police, several people were involved.