Man in custody following Saturday shooting in Austin that killed 1, injured another

UPDATE 2/17 at 6 p.m.: One person is now in custody following a shooting in Austin on Saturday that left one person dead and another seriously injured, according to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS sister station KAAL.

Austin Police say the suspect is from Austin, and was arrested on Saturday night.

Police have identified the shooting victim as 27-year-old Opoka James Bot Lob Nathanael of Austin.

According to a press release from the Austin Police Department, police arrested a 16-year-old male from Austin in connection with the case. The identity of the suspect is unknown at this time.

Previous reporting:

An Austin man has died after a shooting on Saturday.

According to KAAL, a press release from the Austin Police Department (APD) said the shooting happened at the 1100 block of 5th Avenue Northwest. APD received the 911 call around 1:36 p.m.

Police found an adult male gunshot victim when they arrived at the scene. Lifesaving measures were performed, but the victim did not survive and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers learned another adult male was injured during the shooting and was transported to the hospital in a private vehicle.

APD contacted the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) to assist at the crime scene.  

Police say there is no ongoing threat to public safety at this time. 

This is an active and ongoing investigation.

The deceased man will be identified once the preliminary autopsy is complete and formal identification and family notification has taken place.

Witnesses to the shooting say it’s making them question the safety of their neighborhood.

“We thought this was a safe neighborhood and now you’re questioning like is this town safe to live in anymore,” said witness Molly Maschka.

Maschka says when she first arrived near the scene, she didn’t think the situation was too serious.

“I was coming home from the grocery store, and just looking down the street, it looked like someone was just trying to help a truck get out of the snow cause, you know, the roads haven’t been plowed,” said Maschka.

Then, Maschka got a closer look at what was really happening. “There was a cop pulling a young kid out and doing CPR, and then the next thing you know, and they were trying to do everything they could to save them, and then they put a tarp over him,” she said.

Residents in the neighborhood agree something needs to change, saying this type of stuff shouldn’t happen in Austin.

“Way too many shootings, way too many shootings here in Austin. They got to do something about guns,” said witness Glenn Brownlow.

“This is not the Austin that we know. It’s not. I mean, I’ve been here the majority of my life too, and just like this is not the Austin that we know anymore,” said Maschka.