Two victims identified after deadly Deep Ellum shootings leave four dead, 15 injured
Dallas authorities have named two of the four people killed in the early-Sunday Deep Ellum shootings that also wounded about 15 others.
Dallas County officials identified 21-year-old Kaniesa Scott and 28-year-old Unique Elise Benjamin as two of the four victims killed during a series of shootings in the Deep Ellum entertainment district early Sunday. Scott was pronounced dead at 1:08 a.m. at Baylor University Medical Center, while Benjamin died at 11:30 p.m. on South Crowdus Street.
The attacks unfolded over roughly 75 minutes at three locations a few blocks apart. Police said the first gunfire was reported around 12:20 a.m. in the 2600 block of Elm Street, followed by a second incident at about 1:05 a.m. on Main Street, and a third around 1:35 a.m. on South Crowdus Street.
Dallas police Chief Daniel Comeaux told reporters that the overall injury count remains fluid, with about 15 people treated for gunshot wounds, some of whom transported themselves to hospitals. He said officers stationed nearby responded quickly, providing life-saving aid and reviving at least one victim.
"We were fully staffed out here," Comeaux said. "We looked at the plan. We knew it was Saturday night. We knew it was Halloween, so we were staffed properly."
Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson described the violence as "unacceptable" and reiterated public safety as the city’s top priority. The Deep Ellum Foundation announced plans to hold community listening sessions and to connect grieving families with mental-health resources. Police have made arrests and interviewed multiple individuals, but investigators have not found evidence linking the three shootings or indicating a motive.