PFLUGERVILLE, Texas — A victim is speaking out after she was involved in a shooting at her apartment complex in Pflugerville.
The Pflugerville Police Department has identified the man who allegedly fired several shots in the apartment complex as David DeLuna, 31.
Pflugerville police said they were called about shots fired in the 1500 block of South Heatherwilde Boulevard at the Highlands Luxury Apartments off Wells Branch Parkway just after 11 p.m. on Wednesday. The female caller reported shots were fired into her apartment, one of which injured her nephew. Police said officials could hear some of the shots while on the phone with her.
Neighbors told KVUE's Jay Wallis they heard gunshots until 3 a.m.
Julie Glidewell was the neighbor of the shooter who lived directly across from his apartment. She was not a target in this situation but her apartment is now covered in gunshot holes. She said that if she didn't call 911 or find a hiding spot, she wouldn't be here today.
"So your common sense definitely has to kick in. And you go into survival mode. And that's exactly what happened," said Glidewell.
She went and hid in the back closet with her friends and family at the time of the shooting. She stayed on the line with 911 until the SWAT team eventually brought them to safety. She said it's important for anyone to have a game plan for situations like this.
"If you have families with children I think that you should probably have a game plan together in the event of some type of shooting emergency, you know where you're going to meet at one spot in your home," said Glidewell.
DeLuna is now in custody with six felony charges, police said. Police said DeLuna has been charged with four counts of aggravated assault with deadly weapon and two counts of deadly conduct for firing into two different apartments.
“We kept seeing a reflection of someone holding a gun, someone constantly peering out of the window,” said Maureen and Michelle Akpaka, who say they could see the shooter from their balcony. “Then we heard gunshots coming out of the window toward the police, and that’s when the police started scrambling and positioning themselves all kinds of ways.”
Police reported when they arrived in the area, a suspect was still firing shots. As a result, a SWAT team was called in to assist. After a brief standoff, police said DeLuna was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries.
Authorities said 25 people were evacuated from their homes at the Highlands Luxury Apartments, and by noon, police told all residents they could enter and leave their apartments.
Police reported that the shots were fired from the suspect within an apartment unit. It's estimated that about 50 shots were fired by the suspect, none of which came from police. According to officials, some of those bullets traveled through walls into several adjacent units and through the building's exterior.
“I’ve heard gunshots before, that’s not the first time,” said Lupe Mendez, one of the complex’s residents. “But seeing it so close to home, at home, is the thing that scares me the most. We picked this place because it was brand new, it was a safe neighborhood, but now it’s not safe.”
The police department reported several firearms were located inside the apartment, along with both spent and live ammunition. According to an arrest affidavit, police found more than 100 fired cartridge casings of more than one caliber within DeLuna's apartment.
As officers were trying to isolate the individual, police said residents were safely evacuated to a nearby building and interviewed. Meanwhile, the suspect reportedly fell out of an apartment window and was apprehended. He was then transported to the hospital for treatment of self-inflicted, non life-threatening injuries.
"It's really, really scary for me. You'd think from one neighborhood to another -- this is a new subdivision, and everything is going to be completely cool. But I wanted to get away from it. And when I see this, it's like I'm right back where I started," said April and Leeana Castro.
Police said no other injuries were reported. Investigation is ongoing.