Two children are dead and a third is recovering after someone opened fire on a crowd outside a home in Fort Worth on Sunday afternoon, police say.
Fort Worth police responded to calls of a drive-by shooting at 2:13 p.m. Sunday on the 8500 block of Steel Dust Drive and discovered three boys, ages 17, 5 and 18 months, with apparent gunshot wounds.
All three were treated at the scene before being taken to area hospitals.
Two of the victims, identified by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office as 17-year-old Jamarrien Monroe and 5-year-old Rayshard Scott, did not survive their injuries. Monroe died at about 3:14 p.m. after being taken to John Peter Smith Hospital while Scott died at 3:32 p.m. after being taken to Cook Children's Medical Center.
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The 18-month-old, whose name has not been released, suffered minor injuries and is expected to survive.
On Sunday Fort Worth police officials said an unknown number of individuals drove to the home where they fired at a group of individuals in the front yard, hitting the three children.
The three are believed to be members of the same family but police have not described their relationship.
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No arrests have been made and no suspects have been publicly identified. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
Fort Worth Chief of Police Neil Noakes asked anyone with information or video to contact the police and said authorities would use "every resource necessary" to find those responsible.
Noakes added at a press conference Sunday afternoon that when violent crime is on the rise across the country and the city, the death of children adds to the tragedy.
"When you have children who are murdered completely senselessly, it adds just another level to that tragedy we're all experiencing," Noakes said.
Noakes added that the deceased victims will never get to live their full lives or complete school and that the injured 18-month-old will experience physical and emotional setbacks.
"That 17-year-old will never graduate. That 5-year-old will never graduate kindergarten," Noakes said. "That 18-month-old will have physical and emotional scars that may stay with him for the rest of his life."
A neighbor who stopped by the house to deliver flowers became emotional talking about the tragedy.
"It shouldn’t happen. A 17-year-old, a 5-year-old, and an 18-month-old. It’s sad," said Johnny Baldridge.
Another neighbor shared doorbell footage that captured screaming and shouting just moments after the shooting. Andre Chambers said he's lived in the neighborhood for two years and often seen children playing outside.
"It’s very shocking, very surprising and I’m just praying for the family," Chambers said.
Fort Worth Police said if you have any information about the shooting to call 817-392-4336. Case number is 220068041.
