"She's a hero. She saved my son."
A Texas mass shooting victim bravely threw her baby out of harm’s way as a gunman hunted her down.
Sabrina Rahman was one of six people killed during a day-long rampage across San Antonio and Austin on December 5, 2023.
Shane James was booked in Travis County Jail on capital murder charges as well as three unspecified out-of-jurisdiction crimes.
Sabrina’s husband Ishraq Islam praised her for being a “hero”.
He told local television station KIII:
“She threw my baby – she threw the stroller to the side towards the home.
“She saved his life. The gunman shot her, and he took off.”
Sabrina was fatally shot a day after moving into a new neighbourhood with her husband and their 18-month-old son Ibrahim.
After witnessing a tradesman get shot outside her home, she ran off screaming.
Ishraq continued: “She screamed. She went the opposite way. The gunman followed her, approached her.
“She got hit in the head, she collapsed. She’s a hero. She saved my son.”
Her family are determined to stay strong for baby Ibrahim.
Ishraq said: “We’re cut up in a million pieces.
“We’re going to show him how heroic his mom was and [how] she put her life, put everything on the line to save him. And we’re going to make sure he has an amazing life.”
The family moved to Austin from Vancouver, Canada, in 2022.
Ishraq added: “We built two houses here and were ready to start our new lives in a good neighbourhood.
“It’s only been a year, and we came here for a fresh start. And then this happens.”
Speaking about his wife, Ishraq said:
“She’s the one. There’s no one else that could ever replace her.
“Shortly after we got married, within two months, my little brother passed away and she’s a blessing.
“She was there for the whole family. She’s like an angel that was sent at the perfect time.”
A fundraising page has raised $9,500 out of the $18,000 goal.
Shane James is also suspected of shooting two police officers.
Reportedly, he was bonded out by the Texas Organising Project early in 2022 on three assault charges. The project is a police reform group.
The first reported incident occurred just before 11 am at a high school, where James allegedly shot an Austin Independent School District police officer.
Shortly after, he allegedly shot and killed a man and woman at a home in the southern part of Austin.
At 5 pm, a male cyclist was shot in the same area but suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Two hours later, a second police officer was wounded after receiving a burglary report at a home.
This prompted a high-speed chase which resulted in James being arrested.
When officers returned to that property, they found another two people dead inside.
Officials later announced that James was involved in the murder of a couple whose bodies were found in a small bedroom in San Antonio.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said the couple were “well-known” in the community and said their home was “very well maintained”.
He said officials believe the couple were killed before the shootings in Austin.
In a statement, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said:
“Our hearts are with the family and loved ones of the Austin ISD police officer who was shot near Northeast Early College High School today.
“Our ISD police officers play a critical role on keeping Texas students and school faculty safe.
“The State of Texas is offering all available resources to local law enforcement partners who are working to ensure this dangerous criminal is caught and brought to justice.”
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