Man who killed himself believed to be responsible for Lampasas murders

LAMPASAS, Texas ( FOX 44 ) – A man who shot himself dead after a standoff in Lampasas is believed to be responsible for the murders of two women.

Lampasas Police Chief Jody Cummings says the department was dispatched to 901 West Avenue A at approximately 12:44 p.m. Thursday in reference to a criminal trespass. The homeowner reported to officers that an unknown man was in their backyard and refused to leave.

Officers made contact with the man, who was cooperative and agreed to leave. This man was issued a criminal trespass warning at the homeowner’s request.

Chief Cummings says the department was later dispatched at approximately 2:01 p.m. to a report of numerous gunshots being heard in the northwest area of town. When officers arrived, they found a side door of 901 West Avenue A which had visible forced entry.

Officers entered the home to conduct a welfare check, and found a 50-year-old woman and a second 82-year-old woman dead from apparent gunshot wounds. Additional officers arrived on scene to assist, when other numerous gunshots were heard in the immediate area.

Officers were able to confirm the gunshots to be coming from 203 North Arnold Street. Officers were able to coordinate and set up a perimeter around the home and request additional resources. The Texas Department of Public Safety’s Highway Patrol, Texas Rangers, the Texas DPS Special Response Team (SRT), Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Lampasas County Sheriff’s Department and State Parks Police all arrived on scene to assist.

Chief Cummings says it was believed by law enforcement that there was a single occupant to be the shooter, who barricaded himself in the residence of 203 North Arnold Street. The residents of surrounding homes were evacuated.

Through investigative means, a phone number for the resident of 203 North Arnold was obtained and DPS Hostage Negotiators made attempts to contact the said resident. The man refused to cooperate with law enforcement to surrender.

Forced entry was made into the home by the DPS SRT, where a 56-year-old man was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Texas Rangers, with assistance from the Lampasas Police Department, conducted crime scene investigations at both 901 West Avenue A as well as 203 North Arnold Street. According to Chief Cummings, the barricaded man had no known prior contact with the victims of 901 West Avenue A before this incident. However, it is known that the man is the shooter and is responsible for the deaths of the two women at 901 West Avenue A.

The names of the victims and the shooter have not been released due to pending notification of family members.

This is a developing story. FOX 44 News will have more information as it becomes available.

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