The ongoing investigation into the Round Rock Juneteenth celebration shooting, which resulted in the tragic loss of two women and injury of fourteen others, moves into a new phase as 17-year-old Ricky Thompson III is scheduled for a court appearance on Tuesday. Details obtained from a KXAN report indicate that the hearing will be brief, where Thompson is facing a charge of deadly conduct.
Amidst the legal proceedings, the community grapples with the shock and sorrow left in the wake of the violence. Among the injured, a 9-year-old boy who suffered a grazed bullet wound to the head is now undergoing regular counseling, struggling with the trauma of the incident. His grandfather, Lawrence Meriwether, shared with KXAN, “Waking up in the middle of the night, crying, looking out the window, thinking someone was coming to get him.” Meriwether also touched upon the looming financial uncertainty: “My wife, my mom, we all gather round and pray and stuff like that… We haven’t seen the bills yet, but I’m sure they’ll be coming, I don’t know how we’ll deal with those just yet,” KXAN reported.
Personal injury attorney Amber Russell discussed with KXAN the lack of immediate financial resources in the health insurance realm for victims of violent crimes like this, saying, “It’s going to go through the normal process or you’re going to get asked to pay a deductible, copay, or coinsurance. Again, it’s going to be on that individual person to make that payment And then try to find a source of recovery later.” A state crime victims’ compensation fund exists, but it pays out only after the fact as well.
New insights into the incident reveal that another suspect, 18-year-old Keshawn Dixon, allegedly used a “Glock switch” – a machine gun conversion device – during the shooting, and has been arrested on a deadly conduct charge. According to court documents mentioned by KVUE, Dixon, a known gang member with an “extensive history” with law enforcement, may have lost control of the firearm during the event.
Firing a firearm in a public space, firearms expert Michael Cargill explained the hazards for a user untrained with using converted automatic weapons: “Only an idiot would do something like that. It’s very unstable. And No. 1 and No. 2, it’s illegal to actually have one, to be in possession of one,” he told KVUE. The shooting was reportedly a product of an ongoing rap feud between Dixon’s and Thompson’s groups. A witness stated they “pulled out guns and started shooting” after a physical altercation ensued.
Some of the victims were caught in the crossfire and their stories have also been revealed. Ara Duke, an IDEA Rundberg educator, and Lyndsey Vicknair, co-founder of the Austin Honey Badgers Track Club, were identified as the women killed in the violence. They were both attending the festival with their respective husbands when they were fatally shot. The condition and identities of the other injured victims, who range from 10 to 62 years old, have not yet been detailed.
As Round Rock police continue their investigation into the shooting, the community awaits further developments. The third suspect, whose identity remains undisclosed, is a juvenile and is being processed through the Williamson County Juvenile Justice Center. With the court hearings impending for both Thompson and Dixon, the legal ramifications of these events will unfold in the days to come.
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