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Shane James trial: Day 3
The trial continues for Shane James, the man accused of going on a random shooting spree, killing six people and injuring three others. Here is what happened on day three of the trial
AUSTIN, Texas - The trial continues for Shane James, the man accused of going on a random shooting spree, killing six people and injuring three others.
His attorneys are using the insanity defense.
The backstory:
On Dec. 5, 2023, police say James killed his parents in San Antonio before coming to Austin. That morning, police say James shot and injured an AISD officer at Northeast Early College High School, then killed two people on Shadywood Drive.
Then he's accused of shooting a cyclist on a trail near Slaughter Lane, then killing a mother and daughter and shooting a police officer.
Day 3 focuses on injured cyclist and slain mother, daughter
What they're saying:
Monday's testimony focused on the last two scenes.
Cyclist Gregory Klipp was doing a warm-up lap on a trail near ATX Bikes, and he said he thought a firecracker had gone off, and he saw a man with a gun. Klipp rode in a zigzag pattern to get away from him. Klipp was shot in the arm.
That greenbelt backs into the Circle C Ranch neighborhood.
James went to the Short family's house on Austral Loop. Jeff Short was at work when he saw someone kicking in his front door on his surveillance camera.
The jury heard the emotional 911 call, after Jeff wasn't able to get ahold of his wife and daughter, Katherine and Lauren Short, who were in the home.
"I'm terrified," he said in the 911 call.
Body camera footage from police sergeant
Sgt. Joseph Strother responded to the burglary call. James was seen crouching behind the gate, waiting to ambush. The jury watched the body camera video.
"The gunshot was immediate, which would've been consistent with an ambush, so at that point I returned fire, the first round that was fired did strike me in the shoulder, but also went through my radio wiring so I lost all communication at that point as well as I continued to return fire, the subject continued to shoot back at me striking me a couple more times, I continued to fire until I lost sight of the subject," Strother said during testimony.
Strother was hit a total of three times in the arms and shoulders and still has some mobility issues.
James then took off in the Shorts' car.
Body camera footage from officer, detective's testimony
Senior Officer Clinton Murley's body camera footage showed James abruptly backing out of the Shorts' residence after stealing their car. It went around the loop twice; officers said that indicated the driver was someone unfamiliar with the neighborhood. Murley went to clear the house. Officers found a big puddle of blood and drag marks that led to the first decedent with a towel covering her face. The second decedent was found nude in the bathroom with a big puddle of blood.
Det. Bryan Lakey said he decided to stage at Escarpment and SH 45 to avoid an oversaturation of officers at the Austral Loop location. He said it was one of the few ways to get out of the neighborhood, so it was likely a suspect would leave that way. They did see a vehicle matching the description and license plate of the vehicle James was in.
Lakey went after it, and he said James was going in excess of 100 mph. Eventually, he crashed into another car, which damaged the car he was driving. He got out and put his hands up. Lakey said he was expecting deadly force from James, but James cooperated without hesitation.
The jury also watched in-car camera footage of James' arrest and afterwards, while he was being checked out by EMS. He answered questions directly.
He said he was not having hallucinations.
The Source: Information in this report comes from reporting/interviews by FOX 7 Austin's Angela Shen