AUSTIN, Texas — A Round Rock couple was supposed to be celebrating their wedding anniversary this weekend.
Instead, they'll have to bury one of their children.
Someone shot and killed 23-year-old Jonathan David Rogers at nearly 10:20 p.m. Friday, according to the Austin Police Department. The shooting happened near Mearns Meadow Boulevard and Quail Valley Boulevard.
"There's not a word that can express how much pain we're in or how bad we're hurting," Rogers' father, David, told KVUE.
It's been a long few days for David and his family.
"I rack my brain, 'Why?' What's the reason? Who would want to hurt somebody like this?'" David said. "You never think this is ever going to happen to your family or your child. But for it to happen to us and our son, it's just hard."
Police haven't released much information about what led up to the shooting, but a spokesperson said officers don't believe there is a danger to the public.
For Rogers' family, the damage is done. The pain is heavy.
"I don't know why somebody would do this to my son," David said. "My wife and I and my family ... we still haven't come to terms with it. It's still a dream and we want to wake up."
On the night of the deadly shooting, David found out what his son, Jonathan, was planning to reveal to his parents on their upcoming 25th wedding anniversary.
"Jonathan was gonna tell us that, as a present, he was going to let us know that he was having a baby," David said. "I'll see Jonathan's little smirk in that child. I think that's hereditary. Any little thing that our grandchild does, it'll have some resemblance to Jonathan."
As Rogers' family gets ready to bury Jonathan on Sunday, his grieving father has one request.
"If you know anything, if you saw anything, please, step up. Contact the police department," David said. "Help us as a family get peace. That's all we want. We want peace. We want closure."
Austin police detectives located and interviewed witnesses, and they're looking for people that might have captured the incident on surveillance video.
David said the family is focused on raising money to pay for Rogers' funeral.
Authorities ask anyone who may have information about this incident to call the Homicide Tip Line at 512-477-3588, Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS, text "Tip 103" + your message to CRIMES or use the new Crime Stoppers App. You may also submit tips by downloading APD’s mobile app, Austin PD, for free on iPhone and Android.