A 15-year-old boy was arrested Thursday for the April 30 shooting death of Marie Brooks, a 60-year-old homeless woman, outside the Lancaster Kiest Shopping Center in East Oak Cliff, Dallas police announced.
The teen, whose name is withheld due to his age, faces a murder charge and is being held at the Henry Wade Juvenile Justice Center.
Police responded to a call at about 7:40 a.m. on April 30 in the 3200 block of S. Lancaster Road, where they found Brooks unresponsive. Dallas Fire-Rescue confirmed her death at the scene.
Surveillance video captured the incident, showing the suspect walking past Brooks as she prepared to sleep outside a store, then turning back, uncovering her, and opening fire. Brooks suffered a gunshot wound to the chest, police said.
“I wouldn’t treat a dog that way and you know, it’s sad because the lady wasn’t doing nothing,” said a man identified only as Larry, speaking to NBC 5 DFW.
Brooks was well-known in the community, often seen by both the unsheltered and those aiding Dallas’ homeless population.
“She was a good woman,” said another unsheltered woman, identified only as Misty, per NBC 5. “She would do anything for people.”
Ed Johnson of Our Calling, a Dallas shelter and resource center, confirmed Brooks had frequented their services for years.
“It broke our hearts,” Johnson told NBC 5. “Ms. Brooks was a part of our neighbors that came in throughout the years to be serviced by us.”
He noted that unsheltered individuals, particularly women, are often targeted by criminals, with about five dying weekly in Dallas from various causes, including violence.
“It’s not an uncommon occurrence, unfortunately, and this is why we exist to help individuals get off the streets,” Johnson added, highlighting their women’s center aimed at providing safety.
The arrest came one day after police released the surveillance video, requesting the public’s help to identify the shooter. A motive for the shooting remains unclear, and the investigation is ongoing.