Fort Worth death toll in youth shootings jumps to 17 in 2022 after Sunday violence
The shooting deaths of two boys Sunday in northwest Fort Worth bring the number of children and teens killed by gunfire to 17 so far this year.
Rayshard Scott, 5, and Jamarrien Monroe, 17, were shot after a group of people drove by a house on Steel Dust Drive at 2:15 p.m. and opened fire. The two boys were in the front yard when they were hit, according to Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes.
An 18-month-old sustained minor injuries, though police didn’t detail how the toddler was injured.
At least 112 young people under the age of 18 have died since 2016 — the equivalent to four to five classrooms of children, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported this spring. Just last year, 30 young people up to 18 years old were shot and killed in Tarrant County, the most in at least 10 years.
Though the motives or reasons behind Sunday’s shootings are not yet publicly known, the Star-Telegram earlier this year investigated what’s been driving the surge in teen homicides since 2020, when the pandemic disrupted life in almost every way.
The investigation found that teen deaths are happening all over the county, from urban Fort Worth to smaller communities, including cases when youths are struck by stray gunfire. Those killed were of every race and from various backgrounds, the Star-Telegram found.
A reporter asked Noakes on Sunday whether police suspect the shootings were tied to gangs. He said that was something detectives would investigate. No update was provided on Monday when the newspaper asked.
“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,” Noakes said Sunday. “But when you have children — when you have children who are murdered completely senselessly, it adds just another level to that tragedy we’re all experiencing … 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.”
Noakes and Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker addressed the rise of crime on April 4 and said they were committed to reducing the violence by 10% by the end of the year.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram asked a Police Department representative if it’s on track to meet that goal. The department but didn’t respond but put out a news release Monday evening that said since April, homicides are down 5.5%, non-fatal shootings are down 24% and aggravated assaults are down 23%. Robberies are up 2.3% since April, and homicides are now up slightly from this point in 2021.
“We would like to assure our community that we are working diligently to bring those responsible before the criminal justice system, and we are working tirelessly to make Fort Worth the safest major city in the U.S.,” the police statement said.
Since April, 44 people of all ages have been killed in Fort Worth. Of them, 38 died of gunshot wounds.
As part of its strategy to lower violent crime, the Police Department partnered with TCU to assist with data analysis. The university will offer recommendations based on best practices, and assess tactics and strategies.
The Police Department didn’t respond Monday when asked for a status update on that project. The statement issued late Monday didn’t address the TCU partnership.
City Council member Leonard Firestone, whose district includes far north Fort Worth, said the council watched a presentation by Noakes last week about whether they should dedicate a large part of a community policing fund toward a multitude of anti-violence programs. The council also watched a presentation by Noakes and the United Way’s director, Leah King, about using $4.5 million in COVID relief funds to combat gun violence.
Firestone said he’s confident the Police Department is doing its part to get violent crime under control. As far as what happened on Sunday, “It’s a tragic situation,” he said.
“I sad we feel for the family,” he added. “It’s unacceptable.”
