A federal law enforcement agency is offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever was responsible for the murder of a 7-year-old black boy in July in East Dallas.
The reward was announced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in a press release on Tuesday.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Kyrie Barnes was killed after being shot by celebratory gunfire while he was in bed watching a movie with his mother. Multiple shell casings from different firearms were discovered by law enforcement in the parking lot of the apartment complex where Barnes and his family lived.
The shooting occurred in Council Member Adam Bazaldua’s District 7 on Rothington Road.
“Upon arrival, officers found the victim, seven-year-old Kyrie Barnes, shot inside an apartment. Dallas Fire-Rescue responded and transported Kyrie to Baylor University Medical Center, where he was stabilized, and then transported to Dallas Children’s Medical Center. Kyrie died from his injuries on July 6th, 2023,” the ATF said, per the press release.
According to the City of Dallas Open Data victim demographics dashboard, 175 murders have been committed in Dallas this year as of September 13. Ninety-five of the murder victims — more than 50% — were black. Twelve of those killed were minors, with Kyrie Barnes being the youngest.
The Dallas Police Department has been short-staffed in recent years, operating with a force of under 3,200 officers. A City analysis recommends that a city the size of Dallas needs about three officers for every 1,000 residents, putting an ideal staffing level at roughly 4,000 officers.
The shortage has been felt in Downtown Dallas, which regularly clocks higher crime rates than nearby Fort Worth’s downtown area. A dedicated police unit patrols the latter alongside private security guards.
Anyone with information about the shooting of Kyrie Barnes is advised to contact the ATF at (972) 974-4867. Information can also be relayed to [email protected], or through the ATF website.
