EAGLE PASS, Texas – Six days after a deadly shooting at the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino and Hotel left two people dead and five others injured, the casino reopened its doors with heightened security.
Authorities said Keryan Jones, 34, opened fire in the parking lot outside the casino last Saturday, killing Marcus Antley, a retired U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent, and Carrizo Springs resident Alicia Sanchez.
Jones has since been charged with capital murder.
On Friday morning, casino guests returned, though crowds were smaller than usual. Security officers and police presence were visible at the entrances.
“It’s very sad, but people have to work,” Eagle Pass resident Juana Herrera said.
Herrera frequents the casino for dinner and dancing and plans to visit the casino again soon.
Other residents expressed similar feelings, though many were reluctant to speak about it on camera. They said they were not opposed to the casino’s reopening.
Maverick County District Attorney Roberto Serna told the Eagle Pass News Leader that he will handle the case, since neither the victims nor the suspect were members of the Kickapoo Tribe.
It is unclear whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Jones.
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