Gunfire erupted in Deep Ellum just after 1 a.m. Sunday, leaving three people wounded and a 23-year-old suspect facing four first-degree felony charges, NBC 5 reported, citing Dallas police.
The shooting happened in the 2900 block of Elm Street at about 1:02 a.m. Police said all three victims reached a hospital in stable condition. Police later arrested Demond Hardy, 23.
What police say happened
Officers working in Deep Ellum heard what sounded like gunfire and saw a gray 2019 Dodge Challenger leaving the area. Surveillance video later showed muzzle flashes coming from inside the car near Malcolm X Boulevard and Elm Street, FOX 4 reported, citing an arrest affidavit.
The affidavit names Marco Anthony Chavez, Makayla Alexis Mendez and Kamariun Shaw as the three people struck by gunfire. The shots hit all three in their lower legs or feet.
Suspect calls 911
Hardy later called 911 and told dispatchers he had been firing a gun inside his vehicle downtown when an accident occurred, according to the affidavit. He said he did not know whether anyone had been hit and gave police his location near Monticello Avenue.
Officers found Hardy and took him into custody without further incident.
Police spotted an AK-style rifle on the Challenger’s driver-side floorboard. Investigators later obtained a search warrant and recovered an AK-47.
Four felony charges
Hardy faces four counts of aggravated assault tied to the shooting. Each charge is a first-degree felony.
Police identified three shooting victims, but the available information does not explain the fourth charge.
Police said the gunfire did not injure any officers and that investigators continue to work the case. The law presumes Hardy innocent unless prosecutors prove him guilty in court.
Violence along Elm Street
Sunday’s shooting follows other serious incidents along Elm Street. In May, police said Detorius Tarver, 23, fatally shot security guard Joseph Gray, 26, at a business in the 2800 block after Gray tried to break up a fight, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Gunfire wounded four people near Crowdus and Elm streets in June 2024, including a 17-year-old initially listed in critical condition. Dallas police created a dedicated Deep Ellum unit in 2022 as part of a broader safety plan involving surveillance cameras, improved lighting and additional patrols, as The Dallas Express previously reported.
Provided by Dallas Express
