A homecoming celebration on Center Street near Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway turned into a crime scene overnight after a 17-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl were shot, one of them critically wounded. Beaumont police were called to the 800 block at about 11:10 p.m. Saturday, and by Sunday morning investigators were still working the case with little help from a crowd that had scattered rather than talk.
Call Came In Late Saturday Night
Officers responded to the 800 block of Center Street near MLK after reports of gunfire, according to KFDM. Police believe the shooting happened during what investigators describe as an organized homecoming event, and a large party was underway when the shots rang out. One of the two teens wounded was taken to a hospital by private vehicle, per investigators, while the second suffered gunshot wounds and was driven to a Beaumont hospital by officers, according to police.
The teen taken by private vehicle was later identified as being in critical condition and was transported to a hospital in the Houston area, per investigators.
Crowd Went Quiet When Detectives Arrived
Detectives believe people who were at the party witnessed the shooting, but the station's report notes that many individuals at the scene were uncooperative with investigators when officers tried to piece together what happened. Police still believe cellphone videos or photographs taken by partygoers could provide valuable evidence, even if the people holding those phones have not come forward. A crime scene unit spent hours placing markers by shell casings and other evidence, including one marker numbered 57 planted directly on the street, and police remained at the scene overnight gathering evidence and talking with witnesses who were willing to speak.
One unnamed man described a tense exchange moments before the gunfire, saying an argument broke out over a backpack after someone asked where it was. He said he thought the backpack may have contained a gun and money, and that shots rang out seconds later. That account has not been independently confirmed, and no motive, weapon, or shooter has been confirmed by investigators.
Police Ask Parents and Witnesses to Speak Up
Beaumont police asked parents to talk with their teenagers about what happened, a sign that investigators suspect more young people know details than have shared them so far. Anyone with information is asked to call Beaumont police at (409) 832-1234, while tips can also be submitted anonymously to Southeast Texas Crime Stoppers at (409) 833-TIPS (8477). Information leading to an arrest may qualify for a cash reward, and the investigation remains active and ongoing.
Part of a Troubling Pattern in Beaumont
This is not the first time a Beaumont gathering has ended in gunfire this year. A shooting outside a south Beaumont home in June killed a 17-year-old and wounded two 15-year-olds, according to 12NewsNow. On New Year's Day, gunfire at a Beaumont event hall left three people injured, an incident that was also still under investigation at last report.
The violence echoes incidents beyond Beaumont as well. A shooting at a party in Commerce injured multiple people, with police there describing it as an isolated incident even as that investigation continued, per NBC 5 DFW. Teen-involved shootings tied to large social gatherings have also made headlines outside Texas, including a Georgia park shootout that wounded 12 teenagers, according to the Associated Press.
