A fatal shooting at a party this Halloween weekend has left Texarkana police searching for a 20-year-old suspect.
A party held in the back room of a business situated at the 700 block of N. Stateline Avenue became the scene of a shootout at approximately 9 p.m. on October 28.
Two individuals got into an argument which escalated from fistfighting to a shootout, according to police reports. As both gunmen allegedly began to shoot at one another, several people were struck in the crossfire.
While three victims sustained non-life-threatening wounds, 26-year-old Deandre Fezell, 30-year-old Alqadis Williams, and 22-year-old Jayla Hampton were fatally shot. Fezell died immediately at the scene, whereas the other two victims succumbed to their injuries later in the hospital.
Breoskii Warren is wanted by police on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection to the shooting. Texarkana police reported that he is believed to be on the run and have asked that anyone with information on his whereabouts come forward, according to CBS Texas.
Those with relevant tips can reach out to the Texarkana Texas Police Department directly at 903-798-3116 or share them anonymously with Texarkana Area Crime Stoppers at 903-793-STOP.
As the investigation is still ongoing, the charges faced by Warren are subject to change.
“Charges are possible against others if the investigation concludes that they were involved in the crime,” explained Shawn Vaughn, TTPD public information officer, according to the Texarkana Gazette.
Several fatal shootings occurred elsewhere across the nation last weekend, including in Tampa, Chicago, Atlanta, and San Antonio.
In Dallas, murders are up citywide, with 211 murders and non-negligent homicides clocked year-to-date, according to the City of Dallas crime overview dashboard. This marks an increase of nearly 14% over the same period last year.
A city analysis previously recommended a ratio of three officers for every 1,000 residents, which would put the ideal staffing level at roughly 4,000 officers. The Dallas Police Department maintains a force of fewer than 3,200 sworn personnel.
Polling results among Dallas residents found that approximately 90% of respondents do not think the city staffs enough police officers and over 57% reported feeling unsafe in public, as covered by The Dallas Express.
The effects of the staffing shortfall are quite apparent in Downtown Dallas, which logs higher crime rates compared to Fort Worth’s downtown area. The latter is reportedly patrolled by a designated neighborhood police unit working in collaboration with private security guards.
