Extra Officers Patrolling Halloween Weekend After SMU Student Shot Dead In Downtown Dallas
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) — Halloween night, more patrols are on the street in Dallas, as they look for the suspect who shot 19-year-old SMU student Robert Urrea.
It was around 3:00 a.m. on October 31 when Dallas police received reports of a shooting at the intersection of South Harwood Street and Jackson Street.
When officers arrived they found teenager Robert Urrea lying in the street bleeding. When members of Dallas Fire-Rescue responded they pronounced the 19-year-old dead at the scene.
It was the second Downtown Dallas homicide this week, and the 198th for the city of Dallas this year. Police say they have reason to believe Urrea was celebrating Halloween Downtown.
"We believe that the victim, had either been to a Halloween party, or to a bar celebrating Halloween," said Major Danny Williams of the Dallas Police Department.
Police believe Urrea Walked up to a white four-door, possibly a Ford, with a sunroof and custom wheels. They believe someone in that car, shot and killed him.
"We have several detectives working on this, as we have on all our homicides in this city. We have so much information on this one, we are asking the perpetrator to turn himself in," Williams said.
Taylor Bagley lives in an apartment building near the scene. He's lived there for years, but says the recent violence in Dallas has left him uneasy.
"I know it's definitely gotten myself, and some of our other neighbors a little shook here. I think there is an increase in how often I think that something like this has gone on, and it definitely has not gone unnoticed," Bagley said.
In 2019 the Dallas Police Department recorded over 200 homicides and has since tried to lower that number.
But with two months left in the year, homicide offenses are up 18.8% from last year, according to department statistics.
That's why Dallas police say because of Halloween, and the stress of the upcoming week, they're placing extra patrol downtown.
"This is Halloween weekend, and because of that, and because of the fact that we have a big week coming up in Dallas, the Department is making sure that the Downtown area has extra patrol," Williams said. "What we are doing, is putting more resources on the problem, to immediately gain evidence and intelligence so that we can put people in jail when they commit heinous crimes, such as the one this morning."
SMU told CBS 11 News they are referring all questions and comments to the Dallas Police Department.
Please have no physical description of the suspect(s), But investigators are asking that anyone with information about the shooting or knows the identity of the suspect(s) to contact police through email or call Detective P. Belew at 214-422-9275.
