Two Teens, 13 And 17, Fatally Shot Within 24-Hour Span In Dallas
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Two teenagers were shot and killed within a 24-hour span in Dallas as the homicide rate continues to cast a shadow over the city.
Leroy Hawkins, 17, was fatally shot just after midnight on Tuesday in a parking lot near North Akard Street and Federal Street as he was sitting in the front passenger seat of a vehicle.
Hawkins was a recent graduate at DeSoto High School and was going to play football at Jackson State University on a full scholarship.
"Leroy Hawkins was a very special young man. We will keep Leroy and his family and friends in our thoughts and prayers through this difficult time," JSU Head Football Coach John Hendrick said.
Police arrested 18-year-old Kenaijae Keon Anderson and charged him with the murder of Hawkins.
In the latest homicide, a 13-year-old boy, identified by the Dallas County Medical Examiner as Malik Tyler, was caught in the crossfire between people who were shooting at each other from two vehiclesnear Bruton Road and St. Augustine Drive in the Pleasant Grove area at around 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Police said Tyler wasn't involved in any illegal activities and was an innocent bystander.
Dallas ISD confirmed to CBS 11 that Tyler was a student at Young Men's Leadership Academy at Fred Florence Middle School.
"We are very, very angry about the level of violence we are seeing in our city," Dallas Police Chief Renee Hall said. "We've lost one of our youth to violence that is not necessary in our city."
In this case, police are looking for a silver Chrysler 300 as a suspect vehicle.
These are the third and fourth homicides in Dallas in June, and this is coming after a violent month of May where the city reported 41 homicides.