Police still searching for suspects in shooting at Old Settlers Park

Grace Reader and Taylor Girtman

29 mins ago

Round Rock police are still searching for suspects in connection with Saturday night’s shooting at a Juneteenth event in Round Rock (KXAN photo/Grace Reader).

ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) – Round Rock police are still searching for the suspect or suspects in connection with the deadly shooting at the Juneteenth festival in Round Rock that left two women dead and 14 others injured.

“Our primary goal is to find the perpetrator and ensure justice is served for the families,” Round Rock Police Chief Allen Banks said over the weekend.

Description of suspect in Old Settlers Park shooting

In a press conference on Sunday, Banks said police believe the person is “armed and dangerous” and that people should not approach the suspect but instead call 911.

When asked if there might be more than one suspect, Banks said the investigation was still ongoing.

“There will be a lot of questioning going on to find out who did what, how it all started, why it started and why it ended in a completely senseless tragedy – and we will hold everyone involved in this incident accountable,” he said.

Banks described one suspect as a 5-foot-7, thin black man between the ages of 19 and 20. Police said he had short dreadlocks and was last seen wearing a white hoodie.

“Turn yourself in,” Banks said Sunday. “If you’re man enough to carry a gun and pull the trigger, then be man enough to turn yourself in. Turn yourself in. Let’s find out why you chose to take lives and hurt people.”

How to submit a tip about the Round Rock shooting

Anyone with information can call 1-800-252-TIPS or submit a tip online.

Anyone with video or information about the shooting can call Round Rock Police Detective Maio at (512) 341-3135 or email [email protected]. Police are also asking anyone with photo or video evidence to submit it online.

Reward for information leading to suspects in Round Rock shooting

On Tuesday, Governor Greg Abbott said the Governor’s Office of Public Safety was offering up to $10,000 to help identify and arrest the suspect(s).

Two additional rewards are being offered for information. The Williamson County Crime Stoppers is offering $5,000 and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering $5,000.

Insight into the investigation

Old Settlers Park is now open to the public again after being closed over the weekend for extensive investigations. Dennis Farris, president of the Austin Police Retired Officers Association, gave KXAN some insight into what might be going on behind the scenes.

He says police conducted extensive interviews, checked clues, used ballistic equipment and searched for video footage of vehicles or people matching the suspect’s description fleeing the scene.

“Perhaps people who have dash cams in their cars recorded this. The Round Rock police officers who were there obviously have body cams, so their body cams were activated. They’ll be looking at all the body cam video,” Farris said.

Farris says Round Rock police will have additional investigative tools by bringing in federal partners like the FBI and ATF.

“It’s going to be a very detailed, very long investigation. Of course, they’re trying to identify the suspect now, because the main goal of that is to take the suspect into custody and hold him accountable for his actions. And then the investigation will continue long after that,” Farris said.