Police are looking for suspects after shots rang out at a Saturday night party in Little Elm, killing one and injuring at least two others.
The authorities were called to reports of a shooting in the 2700 block of Sunlight Drive on October 21 at around 9:30 p.m.
A male victim, later identified as 17-year-old Keith Slaughter, a senior at Lebanon Trail High School in Frisco, was found dead at the scene. A woman was also discovered with life-threatening injuries and transported to a nearby hospital.
Another male victim was found shot on Evening Mist Drive, a few streets away from the house party, although the extent of his injuries was not disclosed.
Since a large house party had been thrown at the residence, police have been questioning partygoers in hopes of identifying the suspects and bringing them into custody.
Slaughter played on his school’s varsity basketball team and was remembered by his loved ones as “the sweetest, kindest, most loving soul and a joy to be around.” His family has asked for donations in lieu of flowers to help cover funeral expenses through the obituary page found here.
The chance of being a victim of violent crime in Little Elm is 1 in 580, which is well below that of Dallas at 1 in 116, according to Neighborhood Scout.
Murders and non-negligent homicides continue to rise in Dallas, with the city’s police force laboring against an officer shortage.
As of October 23, there had been 208 incidents of murder and non-negligent homicide this year, representing a year-over-year spike of 13%, according to data from Dallas’ crime analytics dashboard.
The Dallas Police Department maintains a force of fewer than 3,200 sworn personnel, roughly 800 less than the 4,000 recommended by an earlier analysis.
The effects of this shortage can be seen above all in Downtown Dallas, especially when the rates of crime are compared to the downtown area of neighboring Fort Worth, which is reportedly patrolled by a designated neighborhood police unit working alongside private security guards.
As previously reported in The Dallas Express, a study conducted in August by the Metroplex Civic & Business Association found that Downtown Dallas clocked significantly more motor vehicle thefts, assaults, and robberies than Fort Worth’s downtown area.