Dallas police report that an 18-year-old girl was found with an apparent gunshot wound in her bedroom.
The victim was asleep when she was struck in the back around 2:30 a.m. in the 3200 block of Reynolds Avenue, near Dolphin Road south of Interstate 30.
As reported by the Dallas Morning News, a small hole was left beneath the window of Rodriguez’s room and another hole was left in the trunk of the vehicle in the driveway.
Police also discovered a shell casing two houses down in the street of the block.
The teen is identified as Crystal Rodriguez. She was transported to a hospital, where she later died.
Rodriguez’s mother, Crystal Vital, described the scene as she went to check on her daughter. She was “bleeding everywhere” and trying desperately to breathe, Vital said. Once she lifted the teen’s shirt, she discovered the gunshot wound in her back.
Vital also added, “She was laying in her bed, she was sleeping. I don’t understand why someone would do this, why would you want to harm me or my family?”
Dallas police Chief Eddie García said in a statement that police will find whoever is responsible for the incident and will continue to investigate, “This one angers me. A senseless loss of life. We are in the early stages of the investigation right now, and it’s just tragic.”
Vital is now left to mourn the loss of her daughter. She said the teen was a “good girl” who had dreams of becoming a flight attendant.
Officers describe the shooting as a drive-by; however, no other information about the vehicle or potential suspects is known.
If anyone has any information on the case, contact Detective Abel Lopez at 214-671-3676 or [email protected] and refer to case No. 006147-2022.