A 20-year-old man and five-year-old boy have been shot and killed outside a home in Fort Worth, Texas.
An 18-month-old boy was also found wounded at the scene on Sunday afternoon after attackers discharged their firearms outside the residence in the northwestern parts of the city during a drive-by shooting, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The shooting occurred at around 2.15pm on Sunday. The 20-year-old and the five-year-old died at area hospitals while the toddler suffered minor injuries. He’s expected to survive, Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes said as he briefed the press at around 5.15pm on Sunday.
The deceased victims have been identified as Jamarrien Monroe, 20, and Rayshard Scott, five.
Mr Monroe was pronounced dead at 3.14pm on Sunday at John Peter Smith Hospital, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office website stated on Monday. Rayshard died at 3.32pm in the emergency room at Cook Children’s Medical Center.
Police originally said that the victims’ ages were 17 and five. Law enforcement hasn’t reported any arrests in connection to the shooting.
Chief Noakes said that the boys were outside the residence when the attackers drove up in a vehicle and started shooting at them. Several cartridge casings ended up on the street.
He added that police are unsure of how the boys are connected to each other and what they were doing outside the residence at the time of the shooting.
“We’re seeing violent crime on the rise across the country, and unfortunately we’re seeing violent crime here in Fort Worth in numbers we don’t want to see,” the police chief told members of the media.
“But when you have children ... who are murdered completely senselessly, it adds just another level to that tragedy we’re all experiencing,” he added.
“That 5-year-old will never graduate from kindergarten, that 18-month-old will have physical and emotional scars that may stay with him the rest of his life,” he said, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
“I can tell you this much – The Fort Worth Police Department is going to put every resource necessary to this investigation to do everything we can to bring those responsible to justice as soon as possible,” the chief added.
Other people were present at the home when the shooting took place. Law enforcement is investigating any possible gang connections to the shooting.
