APD search warrant connects evidence in Juneteenth shooting to prior Austin cases
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Court documents obtained by KXAN provided more details on the police investigation into the deadly shooting at a Juneteenth festival at Round Rock's Old Settlers Park.
The Austin Police Department reviewed and analyzed evidence gathered by the Round Rock Police Department at the site of the Juneteenth shooting and found common connections to two other, separate incidents this year, the search warrant states.
Two people died and 14 people were injured in the June 15 shooting, which police said started after a fight between two groups. Police have arrested, 17-year-old Ricky Thompson III and a juvenile, in connection with the shooting.
Police identified Ara Duke, 54, and Lyndsey Vicknair, 33, as the two victims of the shooting. Police said the women were innocent bystanders.
The warrant is requesting access to three cell phones — one of which may belong to a potential, additional suspect in the shooting.
Additionally, the warrant states police believe the potential suspect's family lied to officers to prevent investigators from looking at one of those phones.
KXAN asked Round Rock Police if they are investigating the people named in the search warrant.
"To protect the integrity of the investigation, we are not confirming any new information at this time," RRPD said in a statement.
February traffic stop
In February 2024, APD officers were doing undercover surveillance in southeast Austin when they performed a felony traffic stop on a silver Nissan with three people inside, according to court records.
The search warrant and additional court documents state that one of the people arrested in the February traffic incident was also one of the victims who suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound during the Juneteenth shooting.
The search warrant indicates the vehicle police stopped in this case was also at the Juneteenth event and an additional May shooting in northeast Austin.
Northeast Austin shooting
Nearly three months after the February arrests, APD responded to multiple reports of "shots fired" at a northeast Austin apartment complex. When officers arrived, they found vehicles with damage consistent with bullet holes and 30 spent 9mm cartridge casings, the search warrant states.
Police said the silver Nissan involved in the February traffic stop was identified by its license plate as being seen at the east Austin vehicle shootings and was found to be entering the Juneteenth festival area before the incident and was seen leaving the festival area after the shooting, according to the search warrant.
The search warrant further states that bullet casings from the Juneteenth shooting and the May apartment shooting were submitted to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which found that the same firearm was used in the May shooting in east Austin and the deadly shooting in Round Rock on June 15.