Dallas wrapped up 2023 with two unrelated fatal shootings that claimed the lives of three teens just before New Year’s.
Dallas police responded to two different shootings involving teenagers this holiday weekend. The first occurred shortly before 5 a.m. on December 29 in Oak Lawn.
Upon arriving at the scene in the 3100 block of Harry Hines Boulevard in Council Member Jesse Moreno’s District 2, officers found two 14-year-olds who had been shot. Both boys were hospitalized, but only one survived. The fatally wounded victim, later identified as Ah-bralen Rider, died on December 31.
A 16-year-old male suspect, whose name has not been released due to his age, was arrested and charged with one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and another count of manslaughter.
The second fatal shooting occurred inside a car parked outside the Mountain Creek Branch Library before 5:30 p.m. on December 30. This is in District 3, represented by Council Member Zarin Gracey.
Responding officers found two teens who had been shot. One of the victims was 15-year-old Angel Solis, who died at the scene, and the other was 16-year-old Elijah Martinez, who died at the hospital.
Although the incident is still under investigation, police sources reportedly told WFAA that the two boys might have fatally shot one another.
Murders went up across Dallas in 2023 despite the Dallas Police Department’s efforts to reduce violent crime. The City logged 246 criminal homicides over the year, a 15% rise compared to 2022, according to the City’s crime analytics dashboard. Districts 2 and 3 accounted for 22 and 18 of 2023’s murders, respectively.
DPD has been laboring under a significant staffing shortage, with only approximately 3,000 officers in the field. A City report previously recommended 4,000 officers to ensure public safety.
Downtown Dallas has seen the greatest impact of this manpower issue, as extensively covered in The Dallas Express. The neighborhood regularly logs higher crime rates in comparison to Fort Worth’s downtown area, which is patrolled by a specialized police unit working alongside private security guards.