A Lewisville man faces a charge of manslaughter in the wake of a deadly shootout occurring in a parking lot last week.
Police arrested 19-year-old Jesstun Markee Conner on Saturday morning after an investigation into the shooting death of 15-year-old Lamarcus Dewayne Winn two days before.
Conner allegedly told police that he and Winn had gone to the parking lot located in the 200 block of E. Round Grove Road on the afternoon of October 5 with the intention of buying marijuana from a dealer, according to NBC 5 DFW.
Both teens exited Conner’s black Porsche Macan SUV to make the purchase; however, the deal was reportedly disrupted by the arrival of a group of gunmen in a Chrysler. A gunfight ensued, with shots fired from all sides and by multiple parties.
Conner reportedly told police that after being shot in the hand, he retreated to his vehicle but collided with Winn, who had taken cover behind one of its back doors.
In the chaotic tangle, Conner told police that his firearm accidentally discharged, striking Winn in the chest. After pulling Winn into the backseat, Conner apparently hopped into the driver’s seat of the SUV and took off. He then dialed 911 to report a gunshot victim, but Winn had been mortally wounded.
Police took Conner into custody after he had been treated at Medical City Lewisville. He is now in Denton County jail in lieu of a $150,000 bond.
In Texas, a manslaughter charge is a second-degree felony and thus is punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Police are still looking for the gunmen involved in the shootout.
Fatal shootings in the metroplex are on the rise, with several shootouts in public spaces reported of late.
For instance, last month Laquest Sirls, 23, was taken into custody after being linked to a shooting incident that occurred during a block party in Fair Park in the early hours of July 16.
As reported in The Dallas Express, multiple individuals wearing ski masks suddenly drove up to the group in an SUV and began firing their weapons. Shaniah Jones, 24, was killed and four unnamed victims were injured in the incident.
In Dallas, the homicide rate continues to swell, with 196 reported so far this year as of October 9. This marks an increase of almost 9% from this time last year, according to Dallas Police Department’s crime analytics dashboard.
Crime rates have been exacerbated by DPD shouldering a longstanding deficit in staff.
Despite a previous analysis advising that Dallas needed about three officers for every 1,000 residents, or roughly 4,000 officers, just under 3,200 officers are currently sworn in.
The vast majority of Dallas residents have indicated in recent polling by The Dallas Express that they have noticed this shortage and didn’t feel safe in the city.
The shortage has been especially felt in Downtown Dallas, which regularly logs higher crime rates than nearby Fort Worth’s downtown area. A special neighborhood police unit reportedly patrols the latter alongside private security guards.