Two shootings, days apart, have rocked areas of Dallas, leaving multiple victims injured and one dead. Lakewood neighborhood was the scene of a shooting on Thursday night, where a dispute escalated into gunfire, Dallas Police confirmed. In the 7000 block of Gaston Avenue, officers responded to the scene around 8 p.m. and found a man, shot in a parking lot, and rushed him to the hospital in stable condition, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Identified as the suspect, 40-year-old Clayton Matthews is now in custody on an aggravated assault charge, with bail set at $100,000. No attorney for Matthews could be confirmed at this time. Near the site of the incident, Lakewood Presbyterian Church had just concluded its parochial school’s Christmas program when the violence erupted outside the school’s gym. Rev. Brad Denton relayed to his parishioners that the altercation appeared to be domestic, emphasizing to his parishioners, "the church doesn't believe either party intended to harm any members of their student body", per The Dallas Morning News.
Just over a week earlier, a separate and more deadly shooting occurred in the early hours of December 4. On Hartsdale Drive, two men were discovered by police at 1:15 a.m., both suffering from gunshot wounds outside a home. The victims were taken to a local hospital, where 25-year-old Louis Martinez succumbed to his injuries. The other man, aged 48, remains in stable condition, as reported by CBS News.
In connection with the Hartsdale Drive shooting, police arrested 21-year-old Juan Martinez, charging him with murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. While details of the incidents were sparse, the arrest brought some closure to the community left reeling from the violence. Authorities have not disclosed if there is any relationship between Juan Martinez and victim Louis Martinez. The investigation is ongoing as the impacted communities seek solace and answers in the aftermath of these tragic events.
