Brother of tourist killed in Austin shooting says ‘public deserves to know he suffered’

The brother of a tourist from New York who was declared as the first casualty of the mass shooting in Austin, Texas, has said he wants the public to know that he “suffered from the time of the injury until the time of death”.

Douglas John Kantor, 25, was declared dead on Sunday noon local time from the injuries sustained during the sixth street shooting on Saturday, Austin Police Department confirmed in a statement.

“He was shot through the abdomen just below the rib cage, straight through,” Mr Kantor’s brother Nick Kanton, told KXAN.

"He suffered from the time of the injury until the time of death, it was the most gruesome thing I could think to wish on someone. It’s painful to discuss, but I think the public deserves to know that my brother suffered."

Kantor was one of the 14 people who were injured in the shooting. Some of the victims received mild injuries, however, two people, including Mr Kantor, were seriously injured, Austin Interim Police Chief Joseph Chacon told a press briefing.

There’s no update on the condition of the second person who was critically wounded. The police also said almost all of those injured were “innocent bystanders.”

Authorities have identified two male suspects in the mass shooting and added that it appeared this was an isolated incident between the two parties.

The incident erupted at around 1.30am in the Sixth Street area, which is a popular nightlife destination in the state capital.

Chief Chacon said the police promptly acted on the 911 calls. “They were there within seconds,” the chief said. “And quickly identified several shooting victims that were in distress. They began immediate life-saving measures.”

Steve Adler, the mayor of Austin, commented on the shooting downtown in a series of tweets, expressing concerns about the rising incidents of gun violence.

“The uptick in gun violence locally is part of a disturbing rise in gun violence across the country as we exit the pandemic,” he said.

“APD and the City Council have initiated multiple violence prevention efforts in response but this crisis requires a broader, coordinated response from all levels of government. One thing is clear - greater access to firearms does not equal greater public safety,” he said.

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