Police step up patrols after double fatal shooting in Deep Ellum

DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) – It’s a popular nightlife spot in Dallas, but locals and tourists are on edge after Deep Ellum was rocked by a hurricane. shooting that killed two people.

“We heard shots, it was like ‘boom-boom-boom’, there were a lot of them, I couldn’t even count them,” said Jacqueline Russell, a resident of Deep Ellum.

An ordinary evening turned into a tragedy at the popular Deep Ellum bar. Dallas police responded to a call about a shooting at the Bitter End bar on Elm Street around 1:20 am on March 15.

Police say an unidentified armed man approached a man standing on the bar’s patio and fired several shots at him, injuring a man and a woman standing outside a window inside.

Two victims were taken to the hospital, where they died. They were later identified as Ricky Gosset, 37, and Danielle Jones, 30. The third victim was hit by a bullet fragment, but her injuries are not life-threatening.

In the morning, bullet holes were still visible in the wall and seats of the patio bar. The crew was seen boarding up the windows with plywood and cleaning up the scene.

Police say the shooter is still on the run. After the shooting, the unknown shooter ran north along Elm Street. Homicide detectives talk to witnesses and work to identify and locate the suspect.

Tourists say they will change their minds about coming here at night.

“We heard that they have a great barbecue here, it’s a great place to look at the art,” said tourist Tina Hang, who came from Philadelphia. “Hearing there’s gunfire all around makes me feel a little on the verge of being here right now and it looks so beautiful, definitely promising but definitely a little scary knowing there’s gunfire coming from the left and the right.”

It is because of this latest violent crime that some in the area are saying that the Dallas Police should be doing more to keep their community safe.

Last September, CBS News Texas spoke to the Deep Ellum Foundation. They said that the Dallas police had committed to creating a special unit of officers dedicated exclusively to patrolling the streets of Deep Ellum.

This division was created in November last year. This is a special task force of officers specifically dedicated to protecting Deep Ellum. But residents say more needs to be done.

“Where were they, if this is your patrol area, it must be controlled to a certain extent so that the inhabitants here feel safe, and I can’t feel safe in any way now, I will never come out here after dark.” said resident Jacqueline Russell.

Twelve people have died in the city since Saturday, police said.

Dallas Police say they are stepping up patrols in the area to keep everyone safe as we get closer to St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

They also want residents and visitors to the city to remain vigilant. They say you should always be aware of your surroundings, stay away from your phone and if you see anything suspicious they ask you to call 911 and report it immediately.

CBS News Texas asked Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson about the recent surge in violent crime. In a statement, he said:

“While Dallas was the only major American city to see a two-year decline in violent crime across all major categories, we know we still have work to do.”

If you have any information about the shooting or the identity of the suspect, call the Dallas Police Department at 214-671-3657.