Austin police name victim from weekend shooting

Aug. 3—AUSTIN — Family and friends are saddened and shocked by the loss of Tyesha Tahne Gills, 20, of Austin.

"She left Chicago due to the violence," said her aunt, Lanetta Griffin. "She went there to better her life."

Gills was shot early Saturday morning inside a home in the 100 block of 10th Street Northwest in Austin.

According to Austin police, officers responded to reports shortly before 2 a.m. of a woman who had been shot inside the residence. Officers and EMS personnel provided assistance to Gills on the scene, and she was transported to Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Austin, where she died, said Austin Police Chief David McKichan.

Griffin said her niece lived with her father when she came to Austin in August 2020, then later she moved in with her cousin. While every city has violence, Griffin said Gills felt safer in Austin.

Her niece had planned to work in the hair salon industry, coming back to Chicago some weekends to cut and style hair, Griffin said. But what happened Saturday morning shocked the family, who are now trying to raise the money to bring Gills' body home and give her a proper funeral.

A GoFundMe page was created Sunday by Griffin.

According to Austin police, the incident was not random and there is likely no ongoing danger to the public. The investigation into the shooting and death of Gills is ongoing.