A physical fight outside the Round Rock Public Library turned violent Sunday night, ending with one person shot and a 17-year-old facing a felony charge. Round Rock Police say the teen, John Salone, was booked into the Williamson County Jail on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after officers responded to reports of shots fired near the library around 10:40 p.m.
Officers responded to reports of shots fired at 200 E. Liberty Ave., according to CBS Austin. A preliminary investigation determined the shooting broke out during a physical fight between two people, police said. The victim was taken to a hospital and is listed in stable condition, though police have withheld the victim's name because of the victim's age. Salone, also 17, was arrested in connection with the shooting, and the case remains under investigation.
Because Texas treats 17-year-olds as legal adults in the criminal justice system, Salone was named publicly and booked into an adult county jail rather than routed through juvenile court. Under Texas Penal Code § 8.07, as outlined by the Barbieri Law Firm, the state remains one of just a handful nationwide that prosecutes 17-year-olds as adults. That means Salone's case will proceed through the adult court system in Williamson County rather than juvenile proceedings.
What the Charge Could Mean
Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is a second-degree felony under Texas Penal Code § 22.02, carrying a potential sentence of two to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000, according to legal explainers published by Varghese Summersett. Prosecutors have not detailed what weapon was used in the altercation, and the circumstances that led to the fight have not been made public.
A Flagship Downtown Space
The shooting unfolded steps from one of Round Rock's newest civic landmarks. The 66,000-square-foot, three-story Round Rock Public Library at 200 E. Liberty Ave. opened in January 2023 after a $37.4 million project funded by voter-approved bonds, Community Impact reported, replacing a 60-year-old library that had stood a block away on Main Street. Next door, at 210 E. Liberty Ave., sits a four-story, 289-stall parking garage that operates 24 hours a day with free parking for downtown visitors, per the City of Round Rock.
A Pattern of Late-Night Disputes
Sunday's shooting adds to a string of violent incidents tied to personal altercations in and around Round Rock in recent years. In June 2024, a 17-year-old was arrested after a shooting during a Juneteenth event at Old Settlers Park left two dead and 14 wounded, a case Hoodline covered in its reporting on the Juneteenth tragedy; that shooting also stemmed from a physical confrontation between individuals.
No further details on a motive or the weapon involved in Sunday's shooting have been released. Round Rock Police say the investigation is ongoing.
