A quiet day at an Arlington apartment complex turned chaotic yesterday when a single bullet tore through a wall, grazed a neighbor in the leg, and ended with one man in handcuffs at the Arlington City Jail, according to police.
What police say
Officers were called to an apartment complex in the 1600 block of Carter Drive yesterday after a 911 caller reported that someone had been grazed by a bullet, authorities said. Investigators determined that a round was fired inside a neighboring unit, traveled through the shared wall, and entered the adjoining residence, striking a person in the leg.
Police identified the suspect as 30-year-old David Hernandez Martinez. He was arrested at the complex and booked into the Arlington City Jail on one count of deadly conduct. According to jail records, bond had not yet been set as of Wednesday. After officers tried and failed to reach anyone inside the adjoining unit, they forced entry and found multiple people and firearms inside. No one in that unit was hurt, as reported by WFAA.
Legal note: What "deadly conduct" covers
Under Texas law, the offense of "deadly conduct" can cover reckless behavior that puts another person in imminent danger of serious bodily injury, as well as knowingly firing a gun at or toward a person, home, building, or vehicle. The reckless version is typically charged as a Class A misdemeanor, while knowingly shooting toward an occupied space can be filed as a third-degree felony, which carries a possible prison term of roughly two to ten years under Texas Penal Code Section 22.05, according to legal summaries from Justia.
Scene and evidence
Investigators said the bullet passed through the dividing wall between the two apartments and grazed the neighbor's leg before coming to a stop. Officers secured the area while detectives documented the scene and collected evidence. Police told reporters that several firearms were recovered from the adjoining unit and that Martinez was taken into custody at the complex, as reported by WFAA.
Police request tips
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Arlington Police Department. Phone numbers, online reporting options, and the non-emergency line are listed on the city's police page, available through the City of Arlington Police Department.
