Police are looking for the person who shot and killed the grandson of a well-known Dallas civil rights activist.
When Tyrek Jenkins stepped out of his house on Wednesday night, his family expected him back within a few minutes. Jenkins, 19, was making a familiar walk, less than four minutes to a corner store in their neighborhood to buy snacks for his girlfriend.
"He was right around the corner, and he couldn't make it," said Yeneka Younger-Robinson, Jenkins's mother. [[461126443,R]]
Younger-Robinson said the errand was taking longer than expected. Her husband came home and remarked that he drove by the corner store and saw police cars. Younger-Robinson told her husband Jenkins was at the store. In their panic, she says she and her husband ran out different doors and got into separate cars.
"We were just trying to get there. We didn't care who got their first, just somebody get there. Just ran to the police and just asking questions," Younger-Robinson said.
Someone eventually told the family to go to Baylor University Medical Center.
"I was still very hopeful until I got to Baylor," Younger-Robinson said. "Just let me see him, and when I did and he didn't move, I knew it was over."
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Jenkins was a new father to a 4-month-old boy. His family says was devoted to his son and girlfriend and excited about a new job at Amazon.
Jenkins's grandfather, longtime Dallas activist Rev. Ronald Wright, called on the community to help police solve the murder.
"This has to stop, and the only way it's going to do it is if we open our mouths and say something," Wright said. "Silence helps the tormentor and not the tormented."
Police say Jenkins was shot and killed at 1400 Gardenside Drive at about 11:10 p.m. Wednesday. Neighbors heard the shots and called 911. Police are checking the store's surveillance video for images of the people responsible. The shooting happened a short distance from the shop.
Police say it's possible Jenkins was shot in an attempted robbery.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Homicide Detective Steven David at 214-671-3627 or steven.david@dpd.ci.dallas.tx.us. Refer to report #271953-2017.
Dallas police say Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for information called into Crime Stoppers at 214-373-TIPS, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
