A shooting at a Juneteenth celebration in Old Settlers Park, Round Rock, Texas, which occurred late Saturday, June 15, resulted in the deaths of two individuals and left 14 others including two children, injured. The Round Rock Police Department is actively searching for a suspect described as a black male, approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a thin build and short dreadlocks, who was last seen wearing a white hoodie.
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The shooting took place on Saturday, June 15, 2024, at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock, Texas, a city located approximately 30 kilometers north of Austin.
The altercation leading to the shooting occurred shortly before 11 p.m. The park was hosting a Juneteenth celebration, an event commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
An altercation erupted between two groups during a concert at the Juneteenth celebration. During the dispute, an unidentified individual pulled out a gun and began firing into the crowd.
The shooting occurred near a vendor area, away from the concert stage, where a large number of people had gathered for the festivities.
Two victims, identified as 33-year-old Lyndsey Vicknair and 54-year-old Ara Duke were dead at the scene. Neither of them was involved in the altercation that led to the shooting.
Fourteen people including four adults and two children were injured. These victims were transported to local hospitals with injuries.
Police officers and fire department personnel who were already present at the event responded, providing emergency medical care to the wounded.
Austin-Travis County EMS reported that six of the injured were taken to trauma facilities.
The suspect is described as a black male with a thin build, standing approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, with short dreadlocks.
He was wearing a white hoodie at the time of the incident. As of Sunday, no suspects were in custody and investigators are uncertain about the number of shooters involved.
The Round Rock Police Department is urging anyone with information about the suspect or the incident to come forward.
A reward of $5,000 has been offered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for any leads that could assist in apprehending the suspect.
The Juneteenth event was organized to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. This annual celebration is recognized as a federal holiday.
Old Settlers Park, approximately 19 miles north of Austin, served as the venue, drawing a large crowd for musical performances and festivities.
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An altercation erupted between two groups during the event, leading to the gunfire. According to Round Rock Police Chief Allen Banks, an individual produced a firearm amidst the disagreement and began shooting indiscriminately.
The gunfire occurred in a vendor area, away from the main stage where the concert was happening.
The two deceased victims were not involved in the altercation that triggered the shooting. Six people, including two children were transported to trauma facilities with serious injuries.
In total, 14 individuals were treated for gunshot wounds at local hospitals. Emergency responders including police officers and fire department personnel provided immediate medical care on-site before the victims were transferred to medical facilities.
The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a thin build and short dreadlocks.
He was reportedly wearing a white hoodie at the time of the shooting. Police are uncertain if multiple shooters were involved and are treating the case as an investigation.
Law enforcement officers at the event responded to the incident, rendering aid to the injured and securing the area.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to the apprehension of the suspect(s).
The park was temporarily closed for investigation on the following morning, coinciding with Father’s Day.
Musical performers including DJ Hella Yella and Paul Wall shared their condolences on social media.
The incident at Old Settlers Park is part of a pattern, with the Gun Violence Archive reporting at least 14 mass shootings across the U.S. over the same weekend resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.
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