The 82-year-old mother of a Fort Worth council member was reportedly injured after she was shot through her door on Thursday.
Fort Worth police were dispatched near Main Street and North Westside Drive on February 23 shortly after 9 p.m. in response to a shooting, as reported by Fox 4.
Graciela Flores, the mother of Fort Worth City Councilman Carlos Flores, was inside her house when she heard someone at her backdoor whom she thought was a family member.
After calling out her relative’s name, she heard a gunshot and then felt pain in her abdomen, followed by the sight of blood. Flores was transported to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth after the incident, per NBC 5.
A statement by Carlos Flores sent to The Dallas Express confirmed the incident and his mother’s current condition.
“Last night, my mother, Graciela, was hit by a stray bullet fired from the backyard of a nearby property. I called 911 while attending to my mother and first responders arrived quickly,” explained Flores.
“Thankfully, my mother is in stable condition with family resting and recovering now.”
Police said that the suspect left the scene on foot after the shooting, as reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The investigation later led police to 35-year-old Jonathan Howard, who was arrested Friday at around 4:30 a.m. He is expected to face charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, according to WFAA.
“Our family was hurt by gun violence and the bad choices of an irresponsible individual, but my family and I are deeply grateful for our Police, Fire, MedStar and the Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital staff,” said Carlos Flores in his statement.
“In the words of my mother, ‘you stood by us and we stand by you.'”
The reason for the gunfire has not been determined, and the Gun Violence Unit will assist in the ongoing investigation.
Gun crimes remain a persistent issue in neighboring Dallas. According to Dallas police data, there have been 1,086 crimes committed with a firearm in the city so far this year.
The DPD recently discussed its Violent Crime Reduction Plan with City leaders, who were informed that violent crime rates have risen by 6%.
In his briefing, Major Jason Scoggins explained that murders were up by 9.5% and aggravated assaults by 14.75% compared to last year in what police have identified as the most violence-prone areas of the city.
“People try to solve their conflicts by shooting other people,” Scoggins said.
