As of Monday night, investigators had not released a motive in the attack. The suspect remains in the Maverick County Jail on a $4.5 million bond.
EAGLE PASS, Texas — A survivor of the deadly Kickapoo mass shooting is opening up about the moment a bullet grazed her body, nearly striking her in the chest.
Venessa Aleman was at the casino with her husband and mother Saturday night after driving to Eagle Pass from Kerrville earlier that day.
She said they were leaving around 11:40 p.m. when chaos erupted.
“As soon as we took the first steps out, my mom was like, ‘Oh, there’s fireworks,’” Aleman said. “We suddenly realized it was not fireworks.”
Investigators believe Keryan Jones, a 34-year-old San Antonio man, opened fire outside the casino, killing two people and injuring several others, including Aleman.
Aleman said people were screaming, dropping to the ground and running back inside. She said she didn’t immediately realize she had been grazed but was clutching her chest.
“I pulled down my shirt and I had seen that I had blood, and later I noticed that it was just like a burn, like a first-degree burn,” Aleman said.
She was taken by ambulance to Fort Duncan Memorial Center and released about six hours later.
“The hospital was full. It was very chaotic,” she said. “There was a lady next to me in the room next door. She had said whenever she was walking across the street that her husband had dropped to the floor.”
As of Monday night, investigators had not released a motive in the attack. Jones remains in the Maverick County Jail on a $4.5 million bond.
“I was thinking, did this really happen?” Aleman said. “Like you always see about shootings everywhere, and you just never think it would happen to you.”
On Monday, Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino released the following statement:
“We are heartbroken by the tragic events that occurred at Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino this weekend. Our deepest condolences go out to the victims, their families and all those affected.
Out of respect for those impacted and to allow authorities to continue their investigation, the casino will remain temporarily closed. We will share updates as they become available.”