Random acts of violence leave 2 dead near Fair Park days before State Fair kicks off
DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) - Preliminary evidence suggests a deadly shooting spree at two locations Monday in Dallas was a random act of violence.
Three people were shot inside an apartment near Fair Park before the gunman drove to a nearby car wash and shot someone else.
This all happened right by where the State Fair of Texas will open in just 4 days.
Bullet holes can be seen on the front door of an apartment where a young woman who answered a knock was shot and killed early Monday afternoon by a gunman who also wounded 2 others who were inside.
Martin Ramirez is the uncle of the woman killed.
"Supposedly someone came up to the door and rang the doorbell," Ramirez said. "And Savannah, my niece answered the door and just as she opened the door the gunman opened fire right directly right at her, and everybody."
DPD confirmed 19-year-old Savannah Rodriguez, died from her injuries and said another woman and a man inside the apartment were also shot.
Ramirez says his sister and his niece's boyfriend were inside. He said they were wounded and did not know the gunman.
Witnesses say that the gunman then got into a vehicle and drove to a nearby car wash where he shot another man before fleeing the area.
"This is nothing new because we have this over here all the time," said Patricia Asberry.
Asberry lives right behind the victim's apartment in the Frazier Court complex and says what happened should serve as a wake-up call to a city that needs to address frequent gun violence here.
"I got my great-grandkids in here and they can't even play out here most time," said Asberry. "When we're playing in daylight like this, they are here playing. We have to grab [them] because they start shooting and we run in the house."
On the other side of Fair Park, the Dallas Police Department says a one-year-old baby was shot and killed in a car over the weekend from a bullet believed to have been fired by someone with a gun at a party.
With the State Fair of Texas welcoming millions starting this Friday, we asked DPD about security around Fair Park in the wake of these and other violent incidents.
"We continue to monitor data, crime trends, and use all information gathered to make adjustments to our crime plan and patrol as needed," DPD said. "There are additional patrols already being added to the area around Fair Park during the State Fair."
The three surviving victims from Monday's shooting are being treated at Baylor. DPD says they are in stable condition.
Police are still searching for the man responsible.
