Juneteenth shooting suspects targeted rival gang member after 'rap diss' RRPD says
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A deadly shooting during a Round Rock Juneteenth event last year was likely part of a “ongoing violent feud” between two gangs “that had been going on years before the Juneteenth shooting and inevitably led up to the Juneteenth shooting,” according to an arrest affidavit. The shooting began as a confrontation over a “rap diss,” the affidavit said.
Two people died and 14 were hurt in the gunfire at the Juneteenth event on June 15 last year at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock. Police found two dozen shell casings near the vendor area, fired by four separate guns, according to an arrest affidavit.
Terrell Hatch,18; Payton Green, 20; Terren Jackson, 18; and Amarjai Terry, 17, were arrested this week related to the case. They face charges of engaging in criminal activity with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, a first-degree felony. Police had previously arrested Ricky Thompson III, Keshawn Dixon and a juvenile, who was not identified.
Police said they uncovered Instagram group chats held days before the shooting among accounts connected to the four who were recently arrested. They were “discussing killing Thompson” and one account posted the person was going to go on a “shooting spree,” the affidavit said.
Thompson told police he fired a gun “into the ground” and ran after a group of people “circled” him while wearing a ski mask, according to an affidavit. He was shot in the hand. Police said they linked three of the spent shell casings to a 9mm gun they recovered from Thompson.
Police believe one of the guns used in the Juneteenth shooting had been “modified to be fully automatic.”
Police noted law enforcement was investigating previous drive-by shootings at Thompson’s home, and noted the deaths of two teens in Austin as contributing to the gangs’ “feud.” Keshawn told police the confrontation at the Juneteenth event “stemmed from Thompson creating a rap song that disrespected” one of their friends who died and whose name they used for their gang.
