Austin-Area Stores Looted As Protests Continue

AUSTIN, TX — Police on Sunday responded to at least two instances of looting as protests over police killings continued for the third straight day.

Just before 7:30 p.m., police responded to a Target store at Capital Plaza amid reports of looting. "There is a large crowd and property damage," police wrote on Twitter. "This is an active scene. Please avoid the area."

Protests have been sparked in Austin and across the U.S. over the Minneapolis killing of George Floyd after a policeman knelt on his neck for close to nine minutes. Local businesses have been largely spared of looting until the third day of protests on Sunday in Austin, where demonstrators have also condemned the fatal shooting of an unarmed Hispanic man by police in South Austin on April 24.

Earlier in the day, police responded to Lakeline Mall in Cedar Park amid reports of looting occurring at the Macy's store just before 2:30 p.m. Austin police issued an advisory on Twitter to dispel rumors of shooting at the shopping center located at 11200 Lakeline Mall Dr., reporting that no shots had been fired and there were no injuries.

Target stores elsewhere in the city were closed early and boarded up as precautions against looting. The store near the University of Texas at Austin, 2025 Guadalupe St., was safeguarded amid reports of looting elsewhere.

The Target store at 2025 Guadalupe St. was boarded up on Sunday afternoon amid report of looting elsewhere in the city. Photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.

The Target store at 2025 Guadalupe St. was boarded up on Sunday afternoon amid report of looting elsewhere in the city. Photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.

Previous coverage: No Active Shooter At Lakeline Mall: Austin Police

Stores elsewhere in the city were boarded up on Sunday as a makeshift safeguard against looting. KXAN reported stores at The Domain shopping center in North Austin — Nordstrom, Apple, Louis Vuitton, Tory Burch & Ben Bridge among them — were fortified as a precaution.

Target stores across the U.S. closed until further notice on Sunday as a result of the unrest over the killing of George Floyd, the company said on its website. Some 200 other stores have implemented shortened hours due to potential violence stemming from the protests.

In an interview Sunday with The New York Times, the retailer's spokesperson, Joshua Thomas, said the number of stores with either shortened hours or temporary closures was at about 200 but changing frequently. The spokesperson did not provide a breakdown of locations or the new hours.

"The safety of our team and guests is our top priority," a statement on the Target website said. "At this time, we are making the decision to adjust store hours or close stores temporarily. We recognize the important role we play in helping our communities shop for food, medicine and other essentials they need."

The Austin area is in the third day of protests against police brutality after the killings of Floyd and an Austin man at the hands of police. Michael Ramos, 42, was fatally shot after a brief standoff with police, who had received a call alerting the man was brandishing a gun outside a South Austin apartment complex. Cell phone footage shared on social media show Ramos being first struck with a beanbag projectile before he was fired upon by a rifle-carrying police officer as Ramos attempted to flee. Contrary to the caller's claim that Ramos was armed, Austin Police Department Chief Brian Manley said 18 days later that no gun was found.

>>> Patch staff writer Gus Saltonstall contributed to this report.