Suspect charged in State Fair of Texas shooting that injured 3
UPDATE: The State Fair of Texas reopened the fairgrounds at 2:00 p.m. Sunday with scheduled events as planned after a gunman shot and wounded three people Saturday night.
Dallas police identified the suspect as 22-year-old Cameron Turner, charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The State Fair of Texas made a statement Sunday morning that its team is "deeply saddened by the incident last night on the fairgrounds."
It continued to say, "Safety is the number one priority of the State Fair of Texas. We are committed to upholding the level of security required to ensure the State Fair of Texas event is a safe and family-friendly environment for all fairgoers, vendors, and employees. We look forward to welcoming guests today (Sunday, 10/15) starting at 2:00 p.m. We ask that everyone remain "Fair Aware." If you see something that doesn't look right on the fairgrounds, please say something to a uniformed police officer or State Fair Safety Team member."
One fairgoer shared the video below of what she called, "the scariest moment of my life."
Another fairgoer shared videos and photos of what happened in the food court when people started dispersing.
A third fairgoer, Awbrey Steele, shared video with CBS News Texas and detailed her experience while on the Ferris wheel, watching everyone run on the ground below.
"We were just getting on to the Ferris wheel and we heard screaming," she said. "We didn't hear shots and then everyone started running towards the exit. The workers would not tell us what had happened and just told us the fair was closed. There were many police that were heavily armed at the exits and police throughout being very stern, ushering everyone to go home."
"We went around probably three times or so before we got off," Steele continued. "There wasn't a feeling of safety truly being up on top. We had suspicions it was a shooting just from seeing the mass panic, but we did not know for sure and we did not know if it was a mass shooter shooting randomly or not. We were glad the workers stayed to control the Ferris wheel. If it were a mass shooting, we [would be] way more scared because we would have been sitting with no way to escape."
Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson responded to the shooting on X saying, "The State Fair of Texas is a treasured event - a celebration of food, family, and fun. Although this incident was isolated, I am outraged that anyone would choose to act out violently at the Fair. We will not tolerate this behavior. I know @DallasPD, which patrols our Fair, will work with @StateFairOfTX to ensure the rest of the event is safe for everyone."
While the State Fair said no changes to its weapons policy are planned, "As a precautionary measure we are working with DPD and our private security partners to increase security measures at all gates and increase security presence throughout the fairgrounds for the remainder of the Fair."
DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) - Three people are injured and one person is in custody after a shooting at the State Fair of Texas Saturday night.
Dallas police said the people who were shot are in the hospital and listed in stable, non-life-threatening condition.
Reports of an active shooter in the food court came in at 7:45 p.m., prompting the Fair to be evacuated.
Details were limited as the situation remained active; however, police said the suspect was shooting at another man and shortly after 8 p.m. that the suspect was in custody after fleeing the area. Police recovered the gun.
According to Dallas City Council member Adam R. Bazaldua, the City Manager, T.C. Broadnax said the shooting sparked from a conflict between two people who knew each other.
"It's one thing to have a right to bear arms, it's another to have legislation, like permit-less carry, that makes it easier for senseless acts of gun violence like this to be carried out in our state," Bazaldua said via social media. "I wish our Republican friends in Austin would pass meaningful gun legislation to help our constituents feel safe in public."
The State Fair also issued an Emergency Order alerting to the evacuation.
DART Rail says passengers may experience delays after the incident at the State Fair. Additional trains were added, shuttle buses were also available and DART says personnel was in the area to assist.
In late September, Fair officials announced new safety measures this year, including every fair-goer having to walk through a weapons detection system and bag searches.
DPD referred CBS News Texas to Fair officials when asked if guns are allowed inside the State Fair of Texas.
The State Fair of Texas' weapons policy states that "no weapons of any kind are permitted on the fairgrounds. This includes firearms, knives, clubs, tasers, chemical dispensing device, etc. Also, all sharp metal objects, such as pocket knives, scissors, and other sharp implements, are strictly prohibited."
As for firearms, the State Fair does not allow unlicensed gun owners to enter the fairgrounds with a firearm; however, "the Fair has long allowed Fair attendees with valid handgun licenses to carry their handguns in a concealed manner while attending the Fair (except for locations prohibited by law)."
The Fair doesn't allow open-carry, according to its policy.
"We know that this is an important issue for many Texans," the policy states, "and that the Fair's decision may disappoint potential fairgoers who regularly and responsibly practice open carry. However, the Fair strongly believes that allowing concealed carry and prohibiting open carry is a reasonable compromise that best ensures the safety and comfort of all Fair attendees."
It is currently unknown if the Fair will reopen or remain closed on Sunday.
DPD has not released the identities of the suspect or victims yet.
Two random acts of violence in the Fair Park area left two people dead in the days before the fair opened.
