ROUND ROCK, Texas —
Officials have released the identities of the two people killed in a shooting in Round Rock over the weekend.
Ara Duke, 54, and Lyndsey Vicknair, 33, were identified as the women killed during Saturday night's Juneteenth Celebration at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock.
Police said both were innocent bystanders in the shooting that left 14 other people injured. None of the victims were part of the altercation. The victims' ages range from 10 to 62 years old.
Ara Duke went to Saturday night's event with her husband, Christopher Duke. He said he thought he heard firecrackers while leaving the restroom – until someone flagged him over to his seat to tell him his wife had been shot in the neck and torso.
"She's just very caring," Duke's daughter, Alena Holmes, said. "She was like my best friend."
Ara Duke, who was from Pflugerville, was an administrator and founding staffer at IDEA Rundberg. The school released a statement regarding her death that read in part, "Mrs. Duke exemplified what it meant to be a Rattler. Losing her is [a] tremendous loss for both our staff and our students."
Lyndsey Vicknair, a mother of three from Manor, was a member of the Austin Bar Association and a co-founder of the Austin Honey Badgers Track Club. She was killed while attending the celebration with her husband, Kevin Vicknair.
"She forced me to grow as a man … as a person," Kevin Vicknair said. "She pushed me to be great. I didn't want to hold her back … Now my family is left with a void. One that can't be filled."
During the press conference, Kevin Vicknair struggled to explain his wife's last moments.
"She's looking at me, with like, a puzzled look. Like she was processing. And she said, 'I'm hit,'" Kevin Vicknair said. "They took a mother who loved a family, her kids. She loved me."
Lyndsey Vicknair's three children – 7-year-old Kenzie, 4-year-old Cairo and 1-year-old Kaya – are left without a mom. It's news their dad had to break on Father's Day.
"Something I never thought would happen," Kevin Vicknair said.
Kevin Vicknair said Lyndsey Vicknair was a great attorney but an even better mother. Instead of lashing out at the person who murdered his wife, he had this message for the shooter.
"I want whoever did it to grow to teach somebody somebody else, teach somebody else that's going down the wrong path," Kevin Vicknair said.
Even with the extra support, the Vicknairs' lives are changed in way they never pictured.
"Long as we stay together and unify, we'll be just fine," Kevin Vicknair said.
You can help the Vicknair family by donating to the GoFundMe set up in Lyndsey Vicknair's honor.
Ara Duke's family asks that instead of flowers, the community considers donating to charities that meant a lot to her. You can donate to the NPH USA in Duke's memory through this link or donate to the Boys and Girls Club of the Austin Area with a note that says, "In Memory of Ara Duke."
Police ask that anyone with video or photos of the shooting upload them through an evidence request portal.
What happened Saturday night?
Police said the incident began when two groups of people started fighting with each other near the vendor area of the festival. At least one person then pulled a gun out and started shooting before leaving the scene.
Chief Banks thanked officers and firefighters who were working the event for their quick actions in responding to the shooting, applying tourniquets and performing CPR.
"I have no doubt that their quick actions in rendering aid to the victims saved lives," Banks said.
The FBI is assisting Round Rock police in the investigation along with the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). The ATF is also offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Mental health resources
For those in need of mental health assistance following this incident, the Round Rock Fire Department's Crisis Response Unit can be reached during the special extended office hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Friday, June 21, by calling 512-218-5501.
Outside of those hours, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Disaster Distress Helpline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 1-800-985-5990.
Other general mental health support services include the Crisis Text Hotline (text HOME to 741741), the National Crisis and Suicide Prevention Lifeline (dial 988) and the Bluebonnet Trails Crisis Hotline (call 1-800-841-1255).