Almost a dozen people were shot in southwest Fort Worth Monday night, with authorities confirming three fatalities.
The incident occurred in the Horne Street area of the Como neighborhood before midnight, where a Fourth of July party was being held. Hundreds were reportedly in attendance when shots rang out.
“Traditionally, the Como neighborhood, July 3 is their big celebration,” said Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) Capt. Shawn Murray, according to CNN. “They have their parade, and July 3 in the evening, they gather up as a neighborhood and come together.”
Authorities confirmed a total of 11 shooting victims. Victims were reportedly taken to local hospitals in ambulances and private vehicles, NBC 5 DFW reported.
Police said it was difficult to access the crime scene upon arrival.
“A lot of vehicle traffic, a lot of foot traffic. Fireworks were being shot off, lots of people just trying to flee the area from the multiple gunshots, so it was difficult for them to navigate quickly into the area,” said FWPD Capt. Shawn Murray, per Fox 4 KDFW.
Following the shooting, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker tweeted:
“I am devastated by the news of a mass shooting in Fort Worth last night. My heart breaks for the victims, their loved ones, and the entire Como community that works to build positivity and celebration in their community and our city.”
Authorities have not confirmed whether anyone has been taken into custody.
“We don’t know if this is domestic-related, if it is gang-related. It is too early to tell at this point. We just know somebody shot and multiple times and a bunch of people were injured. Hopefully it is just a single shooter and wasn’t a crossfire situation. Homicide will figure that out,” said Capt. Murray, according to Fox 4.
Violent crime has long been a serious problem around the metroplex, especially in Dallas, where criminal homicides spiked by more than 20% year over year in the first four months of 2023, and rampant crime in Downtown Dallas outpaces reported crime in Fort Worth’s downtown area. The Dallas Police Department is currently facing a staffing shortage of 400-500 police officers.