Tragedy struck Round Rock during a Juneteenth celebration at Old Settler's Park, claiming the lives of two women and leaving a community in mourning. Christopher Duke, whose wife Ara Duke was one of the victims, shared a harrowing recollection with CBS Austin, telling how the evening turned from a night out to an unimaginable loss. "I had departed for the restroom. Stepped out and heard what I thought was firecrackes," he recounted. After attending to his wife following the shooting, Christopher experienced the heartrending silence of "two short breaths and nothing."

His story echoes that of Kevin Vicknair, husband of the other slain woman, Lyndsey Vicknair. In a grief-stricken statement obtained by FOX 7 Austin, Vicknair described the chaos and the devastating aftermath of the shooting. "She said ‘I’m hit,’ I said ‘you’re hit where?’ That’s when I pulled her out of chair, and I was feeling for where she was hit, and it felt wet on her back," Vicknair said. Despite his efforts at performing CPR, his wife did not survive the injury.

The two families are united in grief, with both Ara Duke and Lyndsey Vicknair leaving a void in their families and communities. Christopher Duke expressed his sorrow not only for his own loss but also for the other families affected by the shooting. Their daughter, Alena Holmes, now pregnant and without her mother, described Ara as someone who "teaches people new things further education." Meanwhile, Kevin Vicknair shared the heart-wrenching task of informing his children of their mother's death on Father's Day.

The Round Rock Police Department continues to investigate the incident, with no updates on arrests as of the latest reports. They've described the suspected shooter as "a Black male, 19 to 20 years old, 5'7" with a thin build and short dreads," and have called him armed and dangerous. A reward has been offered by ATF for information leading to an arrest. Those with any information can reach out to Detective Maio at 512-341-3135 or via email at [email protected].

In the wake of this violence, the community has rallied around the families of the victims. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help support the Vicknair children in the absence of their mother. The Duke family also receives a swell of support as they navigate through their loss. The services for Lyndsey Vicknair are scheduled for Friday, June 21, and Saturday, June 22, at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Mansfield, Texas.