A convenience store clerk was fatally shot during a robbery last week in Dallas, the police department reported Tuesday.
The 29-year-old suspect, Aleigha Horn, allegedly tried to rob the A&A Mart located in the 300 block of S. Marsalis Avenue at about 5:45 a.m. on July 8. She reportedly shot 52-year-old Syed Inayath Ali in the process.
The victim was hospitalized and remained in critical condition until his death on July 15.
Shortly after the incident, Dallas police found Horn in the 1400 block of Seevers Avenue, where she had reportedly fled on foot. She is being held in Dallas County jail on various charges, including capital murder and aggravated robbery.
She appears to have an extensive history of violence, with priors for aggravated assault, assault causing bodily injury to a family member, and assault on a peace officer. She was out on a $10,000 bond at the time of the robbery, per Dallas County records.
The seemingly lax treatment of violent offenders by Dallas County judges and prosecutors, headed by District Attorney John Creuzot, has come under heavy scrutiny these past few years.
The case involving Horn is still under investigation. The robbery occurred in Council Member Chad West’s District 1, which is located just west of Downtown Dallas.
The Dallas Express recently named West this month’s Crime Boss. This is the fourth time this year that District 1 has logged a higher Crime Score year over year. As of July 16, the district had clocked 86 robberies and three murders, according to the City’s crime analytics dashboard.
The Dallas Police Department has struggled to curb violent crime due to not having enough officers in the field. Even though a City report recommended a force of 4,000, DPD has only 3,000 officers sworn in.
Achieving adequate staffing levels is difficult due to DPD’s budget of only $654 million this fiscal year. The Dallas City Council approved spending far less taxpayer money on policing than its counterparts in other high-crime jurisdictions.