Four people have been killed and about 15 others injured in three separate shootings in Dallas’s Deep Ellum entertainment district following Halloween celebrations, police said.
The gunfire broke out in the early hours of Sunday, 1 November, as large crowds remained in the area. Dallas police chief Daniel Comeaux said detectives were investigating whether the incidents were connected, but there was currently no evidence to suggest they were.
The shootings took place roughly 30 minutes to an hour apart at separate locations across the neighbourhood. Police have not released the precise addresses of the crime scenes while the investigation remains under way.
Deep Ellum shootings investigation
“Right now, in total, we have four people that are deceased from three separate scenes, and we have approximately 15 others that have been injured,” Mr Comeaux told a news briefing.
He said the number of injured victims could change because several people made their own way to hospitals after being shot.
Officers had been deployed in greater numbers ahead of the Halloween crowds. In one case, police who were less than two blocks away ran towards the sound of gunfire and arrived almost immediately, performing life-saving treatment and reviving at least one victim, according to the chief.
Several people have been arrested or detained for questioning as investigators examine possible links between the shootings. Detectives are also speaking to witnesses and searching for further suspects.
Police plan to canvass businesses in Deep Ellum for surveillance footage and review recordings from cameras in the area. The Dallas Police Department has appealed for anyone with photographs, videos or social media footage from the night to come forward.
Crime scenes were expected to remain active through Sunday as evidence technicians collected shell casings and processed the locations.
“This is completely unacceptable for it to take place in Dallas, and we’re going to do everything that we need to do to get everyone in custody that’s responsible for this,” Mr Comeaux said.
