Fatal Shooting at Texas Holiday Festival Leaves 3 Dead and 8 Injured

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In a tragic incident following a holiday festival in Texas, three individuals lost their lives, and eight others sustained injuries when a group of men fired shots into a crowd of hundreds. The authorities reported the incident on Tuesday.

Law enforcement officials have not yet made any arrests or identified any suspects in the shooting, which took place at approximately 11:47 p.m. on Monday in the Como neighborhood of Fort Worth. The police clarified that none of the injured individuals are considered suspects in the shooting.

The indiscriminate shooting occurred approximately two hours after the conclusion of ComoFest, an Independence Day celebration held in a park several blocks away from the location of the incident. The festival had a historical significance as it took place in a predominantly Black neighborhood.

Police confirmed on Tuesday that the shooting, which transpired on Horne Street where a large crowd had gathered, was unrelated to ComoFest.

Following the gunfire, chaos ensued as people attempted to flee the scene both on foot and in vehicles. Authorities reported multiple victims in a parking lot when officers arrived, and one person was pronounced dead at the scene. The remaining injured individuals were transported to hospitals by ambulance or private vehicles.

According to Ka’Desha Weatherly, the mother of 18-year-old victim Paul Willis, she heard what seemed like 100 gunshots late Monday night. She frantically searched the street to find her son and nephews but tragically found her nephews only, unknowingly passing her son’s lifeless body.

The Tarrant County medical examiner’s office identified 22-year-old Cynthia Santos as the second casualty. Santos passed away in the early hours of Tuesday at a hospital.

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker expressed her devastation upon learning of the shooting. In a tweet, she conveyed her heartfelt condolences to the victims, their loved ones, and the Como community, known for its efforts to foster positivity and celebration.

Among the victims, one is a juvenile, as reported by the police.

Notably, the ComoFest celebration had taken place in a park several blocks away from the shooting location. It is worth mentioning that after the inaugural celebration in 2021, eight individuals were shot and wounded near a nearby car wash.

The neighborhood has a long-standing tradition of hosting an annual Fourth of July parade for over 70 years. On Tuesday morning, people gathered for the parade along the very street where the shooting occurred the night before.

Ka’Desha Weatherly, who lost her son in the tragedy, attended the parade and sat in the spot where he was killed, with a bouquet of flowers placed beside her folding chair.

Speaking about her son, Weatherly shared that he had recently graduated from high school and had aspirations of becoming an electrician. Describing him as a remarkable young man who consistently made positive choices, she emphasized that he did not deserve such a tragic end.

The identity of the third fatality has not been disclosed by the authorities.

On Monday in Philadelphia, a heavily armed individual wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire on the city’s streets, resulting in the deaths of five people and the injury of two boys. The perpetrator eventually surrendered to the police. Additionally, on Sunday in Baltimore, a shooting at a holiday weekend block party claimed the lives of two individuals, while 28 others were wounded.

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More about Texas festival shooting

• Three Dead, Eight Injured in Shooting After Texas Holiday Festival
• ComoFest: Independence Day Celebration in Fort Worth
• Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker’s Twitter
• Philadelphia Shooting Leaves Five Dead, Two Injured
• Two Killed, 28 Wounded in Baltimore Holiday Weekend Shooting