North Lamar Violence: Community Grapples with Deadly Start to 2026
The North Lamar neighborhood is reeling after another fatal shooting, marking a troubling continuation of violence that has plagued this Austin corridor in recent months.
5th in Travis County 4th in Austin and 3rd in the 183/Lamar area.
— cost_of_bummership (@cost_of_bums) January 12, 2026
Austin Police Department responded to the 9400 block of North Lamar Boulevard, near Rundberg Lane, after a 911 caller reported multiple gunshots in the area. Officers discovered a man in his 20s who had been fatally wounded, becoming the latest victim in what residents describe as an escalating crisis of gun violence.
A Violent Beginning to the Year
The deadly incident is part of a disturbing pattern that has seen 2026 get off to a violent start in the North Lamar area.
The neighborhood, which stretches along one of Austin’s major commercial corridors, has experienced a concentration of serious crimes including shootings, armed robberies, and aggravated assaults in just the first two weeks of the new year.
Homicide Investigation at 9515 North Lamar Blvd. – https://t.co/RXyDuVYUtv pic.twitter.com/UqXC1A9Qjh
— Austin Police Department (@Austin_Police) January 6, 2026
Community advocates point to a complex web of factors contributing to the violence, including gang activity, disputes that turn deadly, and underlying socioeconomic challenges that have long affected the area. Local business owners report feeling increasingly concerned about safety, with some considering additional security measures or altered operating hours.
Community Response
“We deserve to feel safe in our own community. Every time we hear those sirens, we wonder if it’s someone we know.” — Longtime North Lamar resident who asked not to be identified
Residents have expressed frustration with what they perceive as insufficient attention paid to public safety in their neighborhood. Several community meetings have been scheduled in recent weeks, with neighbors demanding increased police presence and better coordination between law enforcement and social services.
Another North Lamar/Rundberg homicide. Will we find out it's a violent repeat offender Jose Garza has let out? https://t.co/fLrAS6V8St
— Austin Videos (@ATXVideos) January 12, 2026
Austin Police Department has pledged to increase patrols in the area and is urging anyone with information about recent violent incidents to come forward. The department’s homicide unit continues to investigate this latest shooting, though no arrests have been announced.
BREAKING
One person is dead after a homicide early this morning on Middle Fiskville Road in northeast Austin, according to police.
After an anti-ICE demonstration in downtown Austin ended in multiple arrests, tensions remained high through Sunday. Activists with Dare to Struggle Austin reported an aggressive police crackdown on the crowd of over 100 protesters gathered at the JJ Pickle Federal Building. By Sunday afternoon, supporters were still staged outside the Travis County Jail, awaiting the release of those detained.
CBS Austin‘s Vinny Martorano has been closely covering this story.
A vigil is happening at the Travis County Jail honoring Renee Good, the woman who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minnesota earlier this week.@cbsaustin pic.twitter.com/VVzpQeEZTN
— Vinny Martorano (@VinnyMartorano) January 12, 2026
David T. says he is the last detainee from Saturday’s protest against ICE in downtown Austin to be released from Travis County Jail. He says he was in jail for around 22 hours.@cbsaustin pic.twitter.com/VNQvNloCvn
— Vinny Martorano (@VinnyMartorano) January 12, 2026
People at the vigil have “defaced” the police memorial that sits in front of the Travis County Jail.@cbsaustin pic.twitter.com/RMSiTE7vEW
— Vinny Martorano (@VinnyMartorano) January 12, 2026
Meanwhile, hundreds gathered at the State Capitol on Sunday to support ongoing anti-government protests in Iran sparked by economic instability and rising inflation.
Protesters at the Texas State Capitol say it’s been days since they’ve been in contact with their families in Iran due to the ongoing internet blackout.
— Marco Bitonel (@MarcoBonFOX7) January 12, 2026
Hundreds gathered on Sunday to support the protests taking place across the country, with many telling me they have family… pic.twitter.com/3diHX8U9Pr
At a similar rally in Los Angeles Sunday, two people were hurt after a man drove a U-Haul through a group of people demonstrating support of the Iranian people.
Reports of immigration arrests Sunday morning in Hutto in the area of US-79 and Exchange Blvd.
Austin ISD begins its enrollment process today, introducing changes that affect all families—even those whose schools are not slated for closure. To address a $65 million budget deficit, the district is closing 10 campuses next year, a move that has also triggered updates to various academic programs and enrollment procedures. (Austin American-Staesman)
What you need to know:
Total Participation: This applies to students attending their neighborhood schools as well as those in specialty programs.
Mandatory Online Enrollment: Every student—whether new or returning—must register through the Enroll Austin portal.
In 2025, the city saw its lowest number of murders since 2020, and, overall, all violent crime dropped, along with property crime. The decrease brings Austin back to pre-pandemic normals, the Austin Police Department says, but it’s also part of a larger national trend of crime-reduction in the U.S. (KUT 90.5)
In 2025, we attended over 100 events and met with over 14,000 passengers (and dogs 🐶) in the community! 🤯 It was a busy year connecting with Austin, and we're maintaining that momentum in 2026. Read about what AUS accomplished in the community last year. https://t.co/c9CFKckNuC pic.twitter.com/1EQGLqHH56
— Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (@AustinAirport) January 9, 2026
A rollover crash on W. Parmer Lane and Center Lake, just east of Interstate 35 last night around 9:00 p.m.
(Video via Reporte Austin)
About 10 people and 200 homes were lost in the July flooding on Sandy Creek, many of which were in Travis County. After millions of dollars spent and earmarked for recovery efforts, and nearly six months have gone by, how are the flood survivors faring? KXAN’s Grace Reader joins host Nikki DaVaughn to talk about her recent reporting on Travis County’s 9-1-1 call logs from the July 5 emergency, and what the calls revealed about how calls for help were answered and addressed. Plus, they discuss what’s different about flood victims in Travis County compared to Kerr County, where more than 100 people were killed and one Camp Mystic camper remains missing. And, catch up on KXAN’s investigation into warning systems along the Guadalupe River here.
Central Texas experienced torrential rain over the July Fourth holiday weekend, leading to major flooding. More than 100 people died in six counties, including several children at an all-girls Christian summer camp on the Guadalupe River. Many more were displaced from their homes. Six months later, they’re still dealing with the disaster’s effects. (KUT 90.5)
WEATHER
SUNDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST /AUSTIN, TEXAS
TEXAS DROUGHT MONITOR
The search is underway for whoever shot two people late Sunday night at an Amazon Fulfillment Center in Far West Bexar County. he shooting happened just after 10 p.m. in the parking lot of the Amazon Fulfillment Center off U.S. Highway 90 and Loop 1604.
A Copperas Cove police officer was shot and killed in the line of duty this weekend.
One day after issuing a temporary restraining order against tech giant Samsung, a Texas court set that order aside, rendering it null. The court gave no reason for overturning the order, which now has no legal effect. (FOX 7 Austin)
Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 128 (HB 128), which prohibits any Texas governmental entity from establishing, maintaining, or renewing sister-city agreements with countries identified as “foreign adversaries”: China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. Existing agreements with these countries were required to be terminated by October 1, 2025.
An 8-year-old student was caught with a gun at a South Texas school Friday morning, according to officials. (FOX 7 Austin)
Today marks the start of week two in the trial of former Uvalde CISD police officer Adrian Gonzales.
The head of one of the nation’s largest teachers unions announced a federal lawsuit filed against the Texas Education Agency. It stems from reviews of social media posts made by educators in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Investigator Kelly Wiley looks closer at the controversy.
Plus, all the news from Texas politics last week.
(Episode from January 11, 2026)
Ten percent of the top 100 high schools in the country are in Texas, according to a U.S. News 2025-2026 Best High Schools Rankings. (Yahoo! News)
SPORTS
The moment is nearly here. pic.twitter.com/yMl6akXpn8
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 11, 2026
NFL: An 0-3 start for the Houston Texans has improbably led to tonight.
NBA: Losses for both the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.
ON THE SCHEDULE
The Rockets, Spurs and Dallas Mavericks all see action tonight.
NHL: The Dallas Stars had Sunday off but return to the ice tonight.
Texas Football Has EPIC Transfer Weekend! | LIVE | 1/12/26 | NFL | Texas MBB | Austin Sports Talk
He killed his first man at fifteen.
By the time Texas tried to stop him, John Wesley Hardin had already become something far more terrifying than an outlaw he had become a symbol of violence in a lawless land. This episode of Texas Tales tells the true story of John Wesley Hardin: the most dangerous gunman Texas ever produced.
