Stray Bullet May Have Killed Woman Walking By Dallas Street Racers, Police Say

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Dallas police are looking for the person responsible for shooting and killing 54-year-old Lynetta Washington Sunday night, April 25, at the scene of a street takeover incident.

It happened in Southwest Oak Cliff along Ledbetter and Duncanville Road just before 11:00 p.m.

"At this time we believe there is no communication between her and the racers. She was walking towards her car and it's possible she got hit by a stray bullet," Deputy Chief Terrence Rhodes said.

Washington died at the scene.

"This is something that should've never happened," Councilman Casey Thomas said. "We're being as proactive and aggressive as we can be in order to make sure that something is done."

The incident happened in Thomas' district.

He sits on the Public Safety Committee and said as police search for the gunman, 45 Dallas police officers who make up the "Speeding and Racing Task Force" are out across Dallas every weekend, some undercover, responding to meetups. These events sometimes draw hundreds of people.

"There are text messages that go out and let you know where the location is going to be and the more that we can get DPD to be able to do intel on that, the quicker we can get out and intercept them," he said.

In his district, police have set up police surveillance towers to monitor areas known for meetups.

This activity is being seen all throughout Dallas and surrounding cities.

In Fort Worth, city council members approved a new ordinance last week that makes it illegal to be a bystander at an illegal street race or stunt. Punishable by a fine up to $500.

This comes after a Fort Worth couple was killed in an alleged street racing incident last November.

Family and friends of Ben and Meg Arbour say the two were returning from a date night - turning into their neighborhood - when they were hit by a 19-year-old racing another driver on a road near North Crowley High School.

All three people were killed in the crash.

The couple left behind four children.