Fort Worth Police continue to investigate a deadly shooting after an officer and a Fort Worth Fire Department arson investigator shot and killed two armed men involved in an altercation early Wednesday morning, according to police.
Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes said it happened around 12:30 a.m. when the officer and arson investigator, who is a sworn peace officer with a service weapon, were paired up to investigate illegal fireworks activity. They were en route to a call when they saw an altercation in the area of Ross Avenue and N.W. 32nd Street.
Noakes said while details are still being worked out -- when the pair got out at the scene they saw two armed men in an altercation and both officers fired their weapons.
"This is a very dynamic scene that just came out of nowhere, the officers weren't even trying to respond to this scene when they came by," Noakes said. "This is just another one of those calls where what may seem routine turns into something dangerous very quickly."
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The officers rendered aid immediately after the shooting, according to Noakes, but one of the men died at the scene and the other was transported to the hospital and died.
Wednesday morning family members of one of the men were visibly upset as they embraced one another. Police have not released the identities of either man.
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"I heard pop, pop, pop," said a neighbor about the gunshots.
People who live on the street said every year there is a Fourth of July block party with fireworks. Fireworks are not allowed in Fort Worth city limits.
Christopher Hernandez said he attended the celebration and said it's a fun time with food, music and friends.
He said earlier in the night officers came before there was any violence and people were cleaning up trash at that time. NBC 5 reached out to police to confirm this, a spokesperson said it's part of the investigation.
"I had just left the celebration I went in and got undressed and just as I laid down I heard a ‘pop pop pop’ and it wasn’t the fireworks it was gunfire and I thought I heard something hit the house, I inspected it this morning and it was like a bullet hole was inside the room, there's a hole. It was too close for me, it was really scary," said Hernandez.
The Marine veteran said he instantly recognized the sound of gunfire.
A news crew noticed multiple bullet casings outside his home on the front yard and on Wednesday afternoon investigators came back out to document it and also look at his home. Police also visited his neighbor's house where there was bullet casings too.
"It’s scary that it’s happening so close, but like I said for years its been a festive thing, no violence then all of a sudden we have this violence, it’s kind of like the sign of the times you know," said Hernandez.
“I actually talked to one of the officers and he says, ‘Yeah there was some shootings and two people dead.' and I said ‘Oh my God,' It was a sad thing because this is our annual thing, we eat, we’re festive and it’s just a sad thing to have to see that and hear that," he continued.
Noakes said another man and woman with gunshot wounds were found nearby and taken to the hospital and are being treated, it is unknown the relationship to the altercation.
Noakes said both the police officer and arson investigator wear body cameras, but that video has not been reviewed yet. Both will be on routine administrative leave as the shootings are investigated.
Noakes was asked about the recent spate of violence in the city.
"It's stressful for all of us, it's stressful for the entire city of Fort Worth, it's stressful for the nation. This is going on all over, and quite frankly we're all tired of it. We're tired of seeing this kind of senseless violence. We're tired of seeing, especially young people, being killed and young people taking lives," said Noakes.
The officer-involved shootings come one day after three died and 11 were shot at ComoFest.
"Yeah, we're taking it hard, the city is taking it hard, but the only way we get through this is if we do it together. The only way we can change what's going on and not just have to investigate cases like this but prevent cases like this is if we all work together. Which is why, anytime we have a case like this or like the case in Como -- we are pleading, we're begging the public to please come forward. There were so many people out there, we know there were people out there that know what happened, know who did it, and know where we can find them, we need their help," Noakes said.
That investigation is ongoing and Noakes said there is no update on a suspect or suspects in the mass shooting that happened hours after the Como neighborhood shootings.
OTHER SHOOTINGS IN FORT WORTH OVERNIGHT WEDNESDAY
Fort Worth police say a man is in the hospital after being shot in the stomach while watching fireworks near Martin Street and Miller Avenue.
In another shooting, a man says he was shot in the foot while with his girlfriend near West 7th when three men tried to rob him.
As of this writing, no word on arrests in any of the shootings.
Check back for the latest on this developing story. As details unfold, elements of this story may change.
