Six people under the age of 20 were injured in a drive-by shooting in Fort Worth on Wednesday.
Police said that at about 7:30 p.m., a vehicle drove past an apartment complex on Las Vegas Trail and started shooting at people standing outside.
A total of six victims, all between 3 and 19 years of age, were struck by gunfire, sustaining injuries ranging from minor to severe.
Five victims were transported to the hospital, and one person was treated at the scene and released. Of those hospitalized, one is in critical condition, and another is in serious condition, per Fox 4 KDFW.
“It makes me sick to my stomach. You know what? It pisses me off. It pisses me off,” said Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes at the scene of the crime, per Fox 4. “I’ve said many times, ‘It makes me angry.’ ‘I am mad.’ I am pissed off. There’s absolutely no reason anybody should be conducting themselves in such a violent, careless, heartless way that children should be shot.”
Police said they believe the shooting is an isolated incident, and they don’t anticipate any further danger to the community.
The investigation is still ongoing as law enforcement searches for the suspect. Officers are requesting anyone with information regarding the shooting to contact the Fort Worth Police Department.
Violent crime continues to be an ongoing concern in the neighboring city of Dallas. The murder rate rose by 15% in 2023 compared to the year prior, according to the City’s crime analytics dashboard. As of May 1, Dallas has clocked a total of 68 murders so far this year.
The Dallas Police Department has faced challenges in maintaining public safety due, in part, to a persistent shortage of officers. While the DPD employs just 3,000 officers, a City analysis recommends 4,000 to ensure public safety.
The Dallas City Council has allocated a budget of just $654 million this fiscal year to the DPD, significantly lower than other high-crime jurisdictions in the country.
In Fort Worth, dedicated crime units and private security guards patrol the city’s downtown areas. Fort Worth’s city center consistently logs much lower rates of crime compared to Downtown Dallas, according to monthly reports by the Metroplex Civic & Business Association.
