An increase in aggressive drivers in North Texas has claimed another life.
A Dallas woman was there as her husband was gunned down during a fight over the victim blocking an entrance to an apartment complex.
The shooting happened a month ago on Jan. 17 at the Vernazza Apartments at 2800 W. Davis Street in Oak Cliff.
“I don’t understand the rage that is behind these minor traffic incidents,” said Dallas Police Detective Theodore Gross. “It’s just scary because it could happen to anybody.”
Get DFW local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC DFW newsletters.
Police are still searching for the person who fatally shot Andre Rufus in front of his wife.
“He was a loving man. He was hardworking. He was a stepfather to her older children,” said Gross.
Surveillance video shared with NBC 5 showed Rufus’ pickup truck waiting to pull out of the apartment complex when a black SUV, believed to be a GMC Yukon Denali XL, turned into the parking lot.
The SUV drives over the curb as the driver squeezed by. Both drivers exchanged words, according to Gross, arguing over the victim taking up too much of the entryway, according to Dallas Police.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
The video showed Rufus opening his door, getting out, and the SUV reversing backward toward Rufus.
Police said someone in the SUV then opened fire, fatally shooting the 44-year-old.
Investigators found the victim’s truck riddled with bullet holes and several 9mm casings nearby.
“If they could have just waited another minute or two, they would have a clear entrance to get into and we could have avoided all of this,” said Gross. “But people are having issues controlling tempers these days and it’s resulting in significant violence.”
Although this case is not being investigated as a ‘road rage’ incident, road rage cases have been on the rise since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Gross.
He hopes cooler heads prevail and that they are able to find the man's killer.
The Denali is believed to be a 2010-2016 model with a very dark window tint and some other unique features.
“It’s got black wheels that look like they’ve been upgraded. They look like they’re from a newer-style Yukon,” he said. “And it looks like the GMC logo on the front grille is filled in with black as well.”
Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact Detective Theodore Gross, #9896, via phone at 214-671-3143 or via email at theodore.gross@dallascityhall.com. Please reference case number 010087-2022.
