Teen Shot in Arlington Dies in Fort Worth After Police Trace Gunfire From Apartment Complex and Recover Shell Casings in Parking Lot
FORT WORTH, TX — An 18-year-old who was shot in Arlington early Sunday died after being found at a Fort Worth gas station, according to police. Investigators say the shooting was first reported around 3 a.m., but officers initially could not locate a victim or clear signs of gunfire at the Arlington complex.
Fort Worth police later responded to a call in the 6600 block of Brentwood Stair Road, where they found the injured man. He was pronounced dead there, and the case was then passed back to Arlington police, who are leading the investigation.
Police respond first in Arlington, then learn victim is in Fort Worth
Arlington police said a resident reported hearing gunshots in the 3100 block of East Park Row Drive. Officers searched the area after the report, but they did not find anyone hurt and did not immediately see evidence that a shooting had taken place.
About 30 minutes later, Fort Worth police notified Arlington authorities that an 18-year-old victim was at a gas station on Brentwood Stair Road. A witness told Fort Worth officers about the shooting at the Arlington apartment complex, helping connect the two scenes.
Shell casings found after officers return to the apartment complex
After learning where the gunfire may have started, Arlington officers went back to the complex and found shell casings in the parking lot. That discovery gave investigators physical evidence to match the resident’s report and the witness account.
Police have not said what led to the gunfire or how the victim got from Arlington to Fort Worth. The sequence of events suggests the shooting unfolded quickly, with the victim later ending up at a location outside the city where the gunfire was first reported.
Witness is cooperating as investigators work to identify the shooter
Arlington police said the witness who spoke with Fort Worth officers is cooperating with investigators. Detectives are now trying to identify the person who fired the shots and piece together what happened before and after the shooting.
Authorities have not released the victim’s name. They also have not said whether the victim and suspect knew each other, or whether the shooting happened inside a vehicle, outside, or in another part of the property.
What police have released about the victim and timeline
Police have confirmed the victim was 18 years old and that he had been shot in the chest. Fort Worth officers said he was declared dead after they were sent to the gas station early Sunday morning.
The limited details released so far show investigators are still working through a split-location case, with the initial emergency call, the search in Arlington, and the later discovery in Fort Worth all tied to the same shooting.
How people with information can contact investigators
Arlington police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact Detective Dixon at 817-459-5579. Tips can also be shared anonymously with Crime Stoppers of Tarrant County at 817-469-8477.
Investigators have not announced any arrests. For now, the case remains open as police continue reviewing the witness account, the shell casings, and the path that led the victim from Arlington to Fort Worth.