13-Year-Old Bystander Shot In The Back At Dallas Park
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A 13-year-old boy is in the hospital after being hit by a stray bullet.
The shooting happened Thursday night in east Dallas.
The boy, who police said was appeared to be an innocent bystander, was shot in the back and is in critical condition at a Baylor Medical Center in Dallas.
While police believe the shooting may be gang related, they don't think the boy had anything to with it.
Police are still investigating the Thursday shooting Work Yard Park in old East Dallas, between Fitzhugh and Munger.
Edward Roblez lives in the area and told CBS 11 News that was a group of guys shooting hoops when a fight broke out. "They were all playing basketball in the altercation… somebody just took out a gun and started shooting. And the guy… the young kid who got shot was just an innocent bystander who was just trying to run away from the bullets."
"It's devastating," said Roblez. "It disturbs me a lot because they're just babies, that's all they are you know? It's just that kids these days… it's easy to pull out a gun, they won't fight.
Roblez told CBS 11 that things in the neighborhood have gotten better since a crime watch group was started about five years ago, but he says once in a while you can still hear gunshots in the area.
"They were fighting, and out of no where, one of the boys took out a gun and starter shooting," said Patricia Marquez. "That's when all the kids that were playing basketball spread out and started running."
Marquez's son was on the basketball court during the shooting. He got away unscathed.
"It could have been my son, and I thank God that it wasn't my son," she said. "I just hope that the little boy who got shot, hope that he'll be okay."
Marquez's daughter went to school with the 13-year-old who was shot.
Marquez says she will not let her kids play at the park. She says more police officers are needed.
There's been no word if police have a suspect in the shooting.