Holiday meant to celebrate end of slavery becoming synonymous with violent attacks
Juneteenth celebrations in Texas, California and Wisconsin became nightmares for attendees as deadly shootings erupted, killing three and injuring at least twenty.
The first incident took place in Round Rock, Texas, just north of the state capital in Austin, where police confirmed 14 gunshot wound victims were taken to a nearby hospital while two women were pronounced dead at the scene.
?#BREAKING: Numerous people have been shot and injured with fatalities in a mass shooting during at a Juneteenth festival
⁰?#Roundrock | #Texas
⁰Currently numerous Law enforcement along with emergency personnel are on the scene in old settlers park located in round rock… pic.twitter.com/P0Vb6WNIoN— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) June 16, 2024
A 17-year-old black male named Ricky Thompson III was arrested on Thursday in connection with the Saturday shooting.
Round Rock Police have confirmed that 14 victims were transported to local hospitals with gunshot wounds, and two were declared deceased at the scene following a shooting at Old Settlers Park during Round Rock’s annual Juneteenth celebration on Saturday, June 15th.
The Round… pic.twitter.com/GG61thdsZQ
— Round Rock Police (@roundrockpolice) June 16, 2024
Thompson was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, but the investigation is ongoing and police are searching for another suspect.
The husband of deceased shooting victim Lyndsey Vicnair delivered an emotional message about his wife’s murder.
On Wednesday night, at least four people were injured in a shooting that took place during an Oakland, California, Juneteenth celebration.
Video posted online shows people running for cover and tending to the injured while shots ring out.
Somehow this shooting at a Juneteenth celebration in California’s gun-free zones doesn’t qualify as a mass shooting ? pic.twitter.com/Qpw9r8cUjD
— Sal the Agorist (@SallyMayweather) June 20, 2024
Oakland Police say “an illegal sideshow” was taking place when “a fight broke out and multiple shots were fired.”
A witness told ABC 7 News, “We were all celebrating, there were sideshows, couple of fights that were going on – next thing we know, we all thought we heard fireworks, so we ran from the direction. Next thing you hear, another ‘boom, boom, boom, boom, boom’ from the other side of the lake. We come down here, walking, and my sister sprints across the street, where she’s seen one of her friends were laying out.”
No deaths have been recorded in connection with the incident, but several people were sent to the hospital for non-shooting injuries.
Police also said multiple officers were attacked by attendees as they tried responding to the shooting, with one person being arrested.
Another shooting took place on Wednesday, this time in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where a teenager was shot and killed at a Juneteenth party.
#BREAKING: Large police presence north of Milwaukee’s Washington Park @ Sherman/Lloyd. My photographer & I heard what sounded like rapid gunfire or fireworks just before 9 PM. Waiting on info about the incident from the county sheriff. pic.twitter.com/R1I1ooXQxP
— Erica Finke TV (@EricaFinkeTV) June 20, 2024
WISN reports, “A Juneteenth community event in Milwaukee’s Washington Park. A Milwaukee teenager died, a second teenager was hurt, and a third was taken into custody.”
Several fights had already broke out, causing organizers to end the celebration early.
But more fights took place as crowds tried to leave, with a plain clothes officer reporting he saw someone shooting a gun toward a playground, hitting one victim multiple times.
The detective opened fire on the shooter but missed, and the suspect was later apprehended by another officer.
A seventeen-year-old was killed and another teen was injured in the melee.
Milwaukee Washington Park Juneteenth Event fatal shooting; 1 dead, 1 injured
June 19, 2024 at 9:57 PM CDT
MILWAUKEE – A 17-year-old is dead after fights broke out at a Juneteenth event at Washington Park in Milwaukee on Wednesday night, June 19.
Police said two people were… pic.twitter.com/7kVnOorrNr
— SubX.News (@SubxNews) June 20, 2024
An X user took notice of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel bizarrely omitting the story from its front page of news items.
“It’s not even noon and any mention of yesterday’s fatal shooting at the Milwaukee Juneteenth celebration has been removed from the Journal Sentinel’s main page. Articles about Trump allegedly calling Milwaukee ‘terrible’ dominated headlines for days. Priorities, I guess,” wrote the user.
It’s not even noon and any mention of yesterday’s fatal shooting at the Milwaukee Juneteenth celebration has been removed from the Journal Sentinel’s main page.
Articles about Trump allegedly calling Milwaukee “terrible” dominated headlines for days.
Priorities, I guess. pic.twitter.com/EYTAfaxLYP
— Brooks (@EBrooksUncut) June 20, 2024
Another X account accurately pointed out, “There has been at least one mass shooting at Juneteenth celebrations every year since it became a federal holiday in 2021.”
Fun Fact: There has been at least one mass shooting at Juneteenth celebrations every year since it became a federal holiday in 2021. #juneteenth pic.twitter.com/1bgrvw3ih4
— Right Winged Angel (@RightWngdAngel) June 19, 2024
Last year, over 100 people were shot in Juneteenth-related incidents.
It’s almost Juneteenth again. Last year’s celebration saw 19 mass shootings, over 100 people were shot, including 6 children ~ all occurring on that one day, all done by blacks.
Juneteenth appears to be a day to “celebrate” the end of slavery by blacks shooting each other.… pic.twitter.com/dbiYJMoXHD
— Dane (@UltraDane) May 8, 2024
Don’t expect Black Lives Matter to run a campaign raising awareness about the link to Juneteenth parties and violent shootings!