A 16-year-old boy is dead and a 17-year-old old girl critically wounded after a fight among a group of high schoolers ended in gunfire outside a Fort Worth Whataburger Friday afternoon, police say.
According to police, the shooting was reported shortly after 4 p.m. outside the Whataburger on the 2400 block of West Berry Street, located near Fort Worth ISD's R.L. Paschal High School.
Speaking to reporters Friday evening, Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes described the events as "senseless" and asked for the public's help finding the shooter responsible.
"This is another example of senseless, tragic violence that never had to happen," Noakes said. "Unfortunately it involved some very young people right here in the city of Fort Worth."
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"We're going to do anything possible to bring those responsible to justice," Noakes said.
Noakes said it began as a verbal altercation among a group of high school students who knew each other. At some point the argument escalated into a physical altercation before someone opened fire, striking two teens.
"I'm angry,” Noakes said. “There is no reason for any young person, a student in high school to lose their life at such a young age. There is no reason for a student in high school to be carrying a gun and shooting at another student."
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The teens, described by police as a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl, were hospitalized in critical condition. The boy later died from his wounds; the girl was stable and recovering as of a Friday night update from police.
Noakes said police were working to determine which school the teens attended.
Nearby Paschal High School, which had dismissed classes for the day before the shooting, was placed on lockdown for all staff and students in afterschool activities, a district spokeswoman said. A varsity basketball game scheduled at the school Friday night was rescheduled to Saturday due to restricted access to the campus.
"Fort Worth ISD continues to collaborate with the Fort Worth Police Department in this ongoing investigation. Monday, the Fort Worth ISD will have support staff available for Paschal students and staff at the campus," a Fort Worth ISD statement read.
Noakes offered a message to all young people:
"The lack of importance put on human life, the sanctity of human life is staggering to me,” Noakes said. “What I'd like to say to those young people is, you have so much more to live for and so do those you might have a problem with. Whatever the conflict is, a gun is not the answer."
"This is just something that parents need to communicate with the kids what's going on,” a parent with her child near the scene said. “This is something sad that should not be happening."
Noakes said there is only one answer for what the person who pulled the trigger needs to do next. "What I say to the shooter is turn yourself in,” Noakes said. “You made a bad mistake. Turn yourself in and don't make this any worse."
Police were not immediately able to offer a description of the gunman. Noakes asked anyone with video of the shooting or information that can help with the investigation to call detectives at 817-392-4330.
