A New Year's Eve celebration turned tragic in Mesquite, Texas, when a 1-year-old child and his father were caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting. The young boy suffered a head wound, and the father was grazed by a bullet, according to Mesquite police statements. Both are currently recovering from their injuries.
The incident occurred shortly after 7 p.m. on the evening of December 31, with the child's family having gathered at the residence in the 1600 block of Springwood Drive. The father, who asked to remain anonymous, conveyed that a bullet grazed his neck, narrowly missing a major artery, and also grazed his son's skull causing a brain bleed and minor swelling. Fortuitously, the child did not require surgery and is under observation at Children's Hospital in Dallas, according to WFAA.
Ms. Maria Arellano, the toddler's grandmother, expressed her shock and dismay over the event, recounting the horrific moment she heard cries that "the baby’s bleeding! The baby’s bleeding!" and describing her family as innocent victims of a misdirected attack. The family's ordeal has cast a somber tone over their New Year's celebration, with the patriarch sustaining minor injuries and the young child fortunately surviving the traumatic encounter, as per FOX 4 News.
Surveillance footage captured a vehicle and an individual involved in the shooting, with Mesquite Police Lt. Brandon Ricketts acknowledging that investigators have collected nine 9-mm shell casings from the scene. Although authorities have not pinpointed a suspect or ascertained the intended target, they affirm a steadfast commitment to the case in hopes of preventing further violence. Ricketts attested, "We want to devote as many resources as we have to find out who did this so it doesn’t happen again", per FOX 4 News.
Residents, including Arellano, raise concerns over the area's safety, noting prior shootings at the same corner, and plead for a substantial response for the sake of the community's welfare. As police continue their quest for clues, they urge anyone with information to come forward and contact the Mesquite police or email [email protected].
