Lucky Eagle Shooting Suspect Named as Keryan Jones, Ex-National Guardsman

  • Former Guardsman charged with capital murder after casino shooting
  • Multiagency manhunt ends with suspect’s dramatic roadside capture
  • Authorities confirm two victims dead, five critically injured

The suspect in a shooting that left two people dead and five more in a critical condition at the Lucky Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass, Texas, on Saturday night has been named as Keryan Jones of San Antonio.

Lucky Eagle Casino shooting, Keryan Jones suspect, Eagle Pass Texas news, National Guardsman arrest, Texas casino tragedy
Keryan Jones, 34, a former National Guardsman, was arrested after a deadly Lucky Eagle Casino shooting in Eagle Pass, Texas. His motive remains unclear. (Image: Wilson County Sheriff’s Office)

Jones was arrested by Texas Troopers in Wilson County hours after he opened fire inside the casino on the Texas-Mexico border. The venue was especially busy that night because it was holding a promotional raffle for a Mercedes-Benz E350 along with numerous cash prizes.

Local reporting suggests Jones is a former National Guardsman who was previously stationed in Arizona and may have gone absent without leave.

The 34-year-old has been charged with two counts of capital murder and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon, according to a statement from the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office.

Multiagency Manhunt

Maverick County deputies were initially called to the casino at around 11.45 pm to assist tribal police following reports of an active shooter. The gunfire sent crowds scrambling for cover, with witnesses describing chaos as people hid under tables and rushed toward exits, according to People magazine.

The suspect fled the scene in a black Nissan Frontier pickup, sparking a multiagency manhunt, according to the Maverick County law enforcement. Authorities used license plate readers to trace the vehicle as it moved east from Eagle Pass toward Wilson County, outside San Antonio.

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers attempted to stop Jones near a Circle K in Stockdale, about 90 miles from the casino. When Jones refused to pull over, troopers fired at his vehicle, partially disabling it, officials said. Jones continued to flee until officers executed a precision immobilization maneuver. The suspect was subdued with a Taser and taken into custody.

Ex-Border Guard Killed

Among the dead was Marcus “Mark” Antley, a retired US Customs and Border Protection officer remembered as a longtime public servant, the San Antonio Express-News reported. Authorities have not yet released the name of the second victim.

The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, which owns the casino, issued a statement saying it was “heartbroken by the violence.” As of Sunday, the venue remained closed as the investigation continues.

The motive for the attack remains unclear. Investigators executed a search warrant on Jones’s apartment in San Antonio on Sunday, with FBI agents assisting state police, according to the Express-News.

Philip Conneller
Philip Conneller Senior Reporter

In Philip Conneller’s eight years with Casino.org, he has covered the gaming industry from Las Vegas to Macau and everything in between. He currently focuses his coverage on gaming law, white-collar crime, global money laundering, tribal gaming, politics, and regulation.

Philip was the original features editor for poker’s Bluff Magazine and editor for Bluff Europe, which he helped launch. His writing has also been featured in ESPN, Forbes, Time Out, The Sun, and The Daily Star, as well as iGaming Business, eGaming Review, and numerous other industry news and tech websites.

His news stories for Casino.org/news have been linked by The Washington Post, The Daily Mail, People Magazine, and Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show, among many others.

Philip once won $20,000 with 7-2 off-suit. He has been reprimanded for unwittingly playing Elton John’s piano on two separate occasions on both sides of the Atlantic.

He became a writer because he is a lousy pianist.

Philip lives outside London with his wife and children, where he spends his time agonizing about Arsenal FC.

Contact Philip at philip.conneller@casino.org.

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