Police on the scene
Breaking: Shooting Reported at Austin Central Library
This is a developing story.
Authorities swarmed downtown Austin on Saturday afternoon following reports of gunfire at the city's flagship public library, where at least one person was shot and the building was evacuated in what officials described as an active shooter scenario.
The incident unfolded around noon at the Austin Central Library, located at 710 W. Cesar Chavez Street, a bustling six-story hub serving thousands of residents with books, events, and community programs. Austin Police Department (APD) officers, backed by SWAT teams, fire crews, and emergency medical services, locked down the area, blocking nearby streets and issuing shelter-in-place alerts via reverse 911 calls and social media.
"Responders are actively clearing the facility floor by floor," APD spokesperson Officer Destanie Sierra said in a brief statement to reporters gathered behind police tape. "One individual has been transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The public is urged to avoid the vicinity as we work to ensure the scene is secure."
Eyewitnesses described a chaotic evacuation, with patrons spilling out onto the sidewalks clutching laptops and backpacks. Videos circulating on social media captured the wail of sirens and lines of tactical officers in riot gear streaming toward the modern glass-and-steel structure, a cornerstone of Austin's vibrant cultural scene since its 2007 opening.
Early reports from the scene suggested multiple shots fired from upper levels, prompting fears of a broader threat. However, officials have not confirmed additional victims, and bomb-sniffing dogs were deployed as a precaution.
The suspect—a thin Black male in a gray hoodie, green shorts, and black pants, according to unverified bystander descriptions—remains at large, with no motive disclosed.
This comes amid a wave of gun violence across the U.S., including a deadly shooting earlier Saturday at a North Carolina house party that claimed two lives and injured 13 others.
In Austin, a tech boomtown grappling with rapid growth and strained public resources, the library incident has reignited debates over security in communal spaces. "Libraries should be sanctuaries, not shooting galleries," tweeted local activist Maria Gonzalez, whose post garnered hundreds of shares within hours.
A separate, unrelated investigation into an unattended death nearby— a body discovered in a vehicle at Cesar Chavez and San Antonio streets—has been ruled out as connected, per preliminary police assessments.
The library, which draws over a million visitors annually, will remain closed indefinitely. Community leaders, including Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, expressed solidarity with those affected in a joint statement: "Our hearts go out to the injured and all who witnessed this horror. We stand ready to support our first responders and heal as a city."
For live updates, follow @AustinPolice on X. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or APD's tip line at (512) 974-5092.