Four dead in Deep Ellum Halloween shootings
Families of the victims gathered Monday to remember the men and women killed in three separate incidents across the neighborhood.
By Salma Farouk ·
Four people died and 15 others were injured in three separate shootings that took place in the Deep Ellum neighborhood on Halloween night. The violence unfolded over a span of roughly 90 minutes on Saturday, forcing the area to shut down for the night.
Dallas police reported the first incident occurred around midnight in the parking lot of a convenience store on the 2600 block of Elm Street. Five people were shot during an apparent altercation at that location. Minutes later, gunfire erupted along Commerce Street near South Crowdus Street, resulting in three deaths. The third shooting happened around 1:35 a.m. on the 200 block of South Crowdus Street, where one person died.
Among the victims was 28-year-old Unique Benjamin, a certified nursing assistant originally from Chicago. Her best friend, Oshshanae Rose, said Benjamin was an innocent bystander when the gunfire started. Rose was in the area looking for parking to meet Benjamin when she heard the shots. "I just can't believe she's gone," Rose said. "I began wondering and started calling, 'Has anyone talked to Unique?' I couldn't find her."
Anthony Martin, 25, who was also known as Quincy McCleary, was another victim. His sister Ashley Martin said his body was pulled from a car lifeless. Martin described her brother as a rapper and video game player who often gave his clothes to others in need. "We're hurting out here, your children are hurting, that's why they're killing each other," Martin said. She said she is still trying to understand the events of the night.
The other two victims were identified as 20-year-old Isaiah Boling and 21-year-old Kanisea Scott. Boling was the father of two children, a two-year-old son and a one-year-old daughter, according to his partner Thalia Tracey. Police said the four victims were killed in the three distinct shootings that occurred within minutes of one another. The medical examiner confirmed the identities of all four individuals.
Family members and friends of the deceased gathered on Monday to remember the victims and seek answers from authorities. They described the individuals as hard workers and community members who were caught in the crossfire. The Dallas Police Department continues to investigate the three shootings as separate incidents linked by their close timing and location. Neighbors said the area has returned to normal, but the loss of four young lives has left the community seeking a resolution to the violence.
