Pflugerville Man Targeted North Austin Business Owner He Shot Dead (Updates)

NORTH AUSTIN, TX — The shooting death of a North Austin store owner last week was a targeted murder by a disgruntled customer who led police on a high-speed chase after detectives closed in on him following the killing, according to a newly released arrest affidavit.

Ultimately, the victim effectively provided police clues from the grave. An earlier interaction with the suspect had perturbed him to the point he felt compelled to jot down his license plate number, according to an affidavit.

Majid Hemmasi, 59, was found by police on the ground suffering from gunshot wounds n the parking lot of the AAA Fire & Safety business at 6700 Guadalupe St. Police had responded to a call of shots fired on July 26 just before 8 p.m. Life-saving techniques were attempted in an effort to save the life of the business owner, but he died shortly after the arrival of EMS medics. A female victim also was hit, but is expected to survive.

An arrest affidavit unveiled on Monday yields more clues into what led to the shooting. Referencing the document, the Austin American-Statesman reported that Sidney Parker, 41, the man now charged with murder, showed up at the place of business and began firing without saying a word.

Days before, on July 21, he had gotten into an argument with Hemmasi that left the victim so shaken that he made a point to jot down the suspect's license plate number along with a physical description of the man, according to the affidavit.

It was the now-dead man's presence of mind to record that information that led to a quick arrest. Police traced the license plate number to a Pflugerville car rental company, according to the affidavit, finding the car was rented out to a woman later determined to be Parker's girlfriend. The woman also owned an Acura SUV that had been seen in the store's parking lot at the time of the shooting, the newspaper reported.

While police questioned the girlfriend, they concurrently were watching the suspect's townhouse, according to the affidavit. Once learning his girlfriend was being interviewed by police, Parker is said to have exited the home before departing in a rented Hyundai, according to the report.

Officers gave chase, reaching speed of up to 100 miles per hour during the pursuit, according to the document. As the suspect drove north on Interstate 35, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers joined in the chase, eventually pulling Parker over on FM 436 about 50 miles from where the chase began, the affidavit reads.

Police later found a Bushmaster rifle in the trunk of the vehicle with ammunition similar to shell casings found at the shooting scene, the affidavit reads. Parker has since been booked into the Travis County Jail on a count of murder for Hemmasi's death, along with a count of attempted murder for the injuries to the female victim. Combined, bail is set at $1.5 million after Parker's arrest last Friday.

Editor's note: The victim's age is corrected above following incorrect information from an earlier police advisory

From July 27:

AUSTIN, TX — Police late Friday announced the arrest of a man connected with the shooting death of a man outside a North Austin business earlier this week.

Sidney Parker, 40, has been charged with the murder of Majid Hemmasi and the attempted murder of a woman who was with him, identified as M. Jimenez, police said. Parker has been booked into the Travis County Jail on bonds totaling $1.5 million — $1 million for the murder charge and the rest for the attempted murder of the second victim, according to police.

Hemmasi, 59, was found by police in the parking lot of the AAA Fire & Safety business at 6700 Guadalupe St. after responding to a call of shots fired on July 26 just before 8 p.m. Life-saving techniques were attempted in an effort to save the life of the business owner, but he died shortly after the arrival of EMS medics.

It's unclear what led to the deadly confrontation, or the relationship between the perpetrator and the victim. Police provided no further details. See original story below.

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>>> Sidney Parker booking photo courtesy Austin Police Department

From July 26:

AUSTIN, TX — Police have identified the man who was fatally shot outside a business on Wednesday night.

Majid Hemmasi, 59, was found in the parking lot of the AAA Fire & Safety business, 6700 Guadalupe St., suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. A female employee of the business who also was injured before seeking safety inside the building is expected to survive.

Police said life-saving measures were taken to save Hemmasi before EMS medics arrived, but he died shortly after their arrival, at 8:07 p.m. According to information provided by police, the victim would have turned 60 on July 31. The woman was not identified to safeguard her safety and privacy.

Related story: Man Dead, Woman In Critical Condition After North Austin Shooting

Police said they don't believe there is a threat to the public as a result of the shooter being at large. Police generally use this verbiage to indicate the victim(s) and perpetrator knew each other, and the confrontation was limited to their interaction.

Homicide detectives continue to interview witnesses. Detectives are asking anyone with any information regarding this incident to call the Homicide Tip Line at 512-477-3588 or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS or text "Tip 103" + your message to CRIMES or use the new Crime Stoppers App. You can also submit tips by downloading APD’s mobile app, Austin PD, for free on iPhone and Android.

>>> Image via Shutterstock