Police are urging a gunman to “surrender” after two people were killed in a mass shooting at a Texas Juneteenth celebration over the weekend.
The incident occurred in the well-known Austin suburb of Round Rock on Saturday night after a fight between two groups, police said.
A search for the suspect is currently underway, after 14 other people were reportedly injured, including two children. Their ages ranged from 10 to 62, local officials revealed.
Sunday, Round Rock Police Chief Allen Banks described the gunman as a black man between 19 and 20 years old.
He was last seen sporting short dreadlocks while wearing a white hoodie in Old Settlers Park, where the shooting took place at 10:50 pm during the celebration. Banks Sunday urged the perpetrator to surrender, saying his force was about to approach.
The incident occurred in the well-known Austin suburb of Round Rock on Saturday night after a fight between two groups, police said. Officers from the local police department are seen inspecting the crime scene in Old Settlers Park shortly after.
Sunday, Round Rock Police Chief Allen Banks described the gunman as a black man between 19 and 20 years old. He urged the suspect, considered “armed and dangerous,” to surrender.
‘Our ultimate goal is to find who did this and make sure the families get justice.
‘This is a cowardly and senseless act that does not belong in Round Rock.
‘Our detectives have worked tirelessly throughout the night to try to find these guys, interview after interview after interview.
“Turn yourself in,” a visibly furious Banks continued to the still-at-large suspect.
‘If you are man enough to carry a gun and pull the trigger, be man enough to step forward. Surrender.
“Let’s find out why you chose to take lives and hurt people.”
He went on to add that officers are still investigating what led up to the shooting and why the two “groups” were fighting in the first place.
In addition, he revealed that “the majority” of the 14 injured have been discharged from area hospitals and that the remainder are considered to be in “stable condition” and should be discharged “within approximately next day”.
Elsewhere in his statement, he recalled how ‘the park was packed during the celebration’, and how ‘there may very well have been more victims.’
It happened in Old Settlers Park around 10:50 pm, during a celebration commemorating the holiday.
In addition to the two dead, 14 other people were reportedly injured, including two children. Their ages ranged from 10 to 62, local officials said.
“Our detectives have worked tirelessly all night to try to find these guys, interview after interview after interview,” the city’s top cop told viewers immediately after the incident.
He went on to categorize the 16 victims as “innocent bystanders” and added that he and other members of the community are “very disappointed and angry with these events.”
“This is the 16th year of this Juneteenth event, and for someone to destroy peace and celebration in an instant makes me angry,” he said at one point.
The senior police officer went on to describe how he and others believe the incident unfolded, which began when “someone pulled out a gun and started shooting,” he said.
That occurred after the brief altercation between the two groups, Banks continued, describing how there was a large crowd at the event at the time and how “multiple victims were affected.”
Photos show how hours before, families and others were attending a musical performance in the picturesque park, which is the largest in the city.
“It breaks your heart for a family that was out enjoying their evening and now their life has been changed forever as a result of someone not caring about another person’s life,” Banks said at a press conference the night before.
“Our goal is to put those people behind bars and our goal is to put them in prison for life.”
Photos show how hours before, families and others attended a musical performance in the picturesque park.
“It breaks your heart for a family that was out enjoying their evening and now their life has been changed forever as a result of someone not caring about another person’s life,” Banks said at a press conference the night before.
Old Settlers Park (seen here) is the largest park in the city of Round Rock, stretching across 645 acres of land. A search is currently underway for the only suspect.
He said the fight started near the vendor area and resulted in at least one person, the suspect, pulling out a gun.
As of this writing, police believe only one person is responsible.
Police are offering a $5,000 reward for any information leading to his arrest, as the FBI was also seen at the scene.
Following the incident, Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan reiterated the city’s commitment to “safety, celebration and unity” and urged city leaders to share their condolences in their own statement of solidarity.
“I know the residents of Round Rock are devastated to wake up to the terrible news of last night’s tragic events,” he said.
‘To families mourning the loss of their loved ones, know that our entire community is mourning with you.
‘To those who were injured, we are here to support you in your recovery.
‘We are a community that values safety, celebration and unity, and we are committed to ensuring our community recovers together through this event.
‘We will not let this incident define us, nor will we allow fear to take over us. Instead, we will support each other, offer help where needed, and remain united in our determination to make Round Rock a safe and welcoming place for all.’