Instead of spending the day with loved ones on the Fourth of July, several families mourned the loss of people killed Monday night in Fort Worth's Como neighborhood.
Fort Worth Police said 'unknown males' began shooting randomly into a crowd where people gathered in the 3400 block of Horne St. around 11:47 p.m.
Officers said the incident was unrelated to the ComoFest, a community event that took place at a different location.
Eleven people were shot, according to police, three of whom died. One person died at the scene and two others died at the hospital.
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"He was a good young man, a great young man he did not deserve this, to be killed at 18 for nothing," said Ka'Desha Weatherly who said her son, Paul Willis, was one of the people killed.
She said he was a manager at a nearby Mcdonald's and had graduated high school from Premier High School with honors. Weatherly said her son planned on becoming a licensed electrician.
Weatherly said she found out about her son's death through his friends. She said her other son, nephews and their friends were there.
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“They had to run and find me and tell me they were running from the bullets and that my son didn’t make it.”
Weatherly said she also found out about her son's death by the images people sent her of his lifeless body. He was shot in the head and arm, the family said in a GoFundMe account they set up to help with funeral costs.
"The whole internet has pictures of my son, but I still haven't seen him," said Weatherly as she sat all day in the heat next to a growing memorial where he was killed.
She said people started to bring flowers and his favorite candy, Air Heads to the location.
“He should have been able to enjoy himself with his friends and his community, after working 80 hours a week, what are young people to do if they can't come outside and enjoy themselves for the holidays," said Weatherly about he son who was off for the first time in months.
Another young person, 22-year-old Cynthia Santos, was also killed in the shooting. Her mother told NBC 5 in Spanish that her daughter was taken to the hospital but died there.
Cecilia, her mother, said her daughter was a very happy person who worked at a restaurant. She too was wanting to hang out with a friend who convinced her to come out Monday night.
"I'm sorry for all the families that this happened to," said Weatherly as she herself mourned.
Police said homicide detectives are working on a few leads, but need help from the public.
Surveillance video from a convivence store on the corner captured the moment people started running when the gunshots rang out.
Officers are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call the Fort Worth Homicide Unit at 817-392-4330 or Crime Stoppers. If anyone has personal videos during the time of the shooting or events leading up to the shooting they are asked to contact police.
Police have not given an update on the 8 other people who were taken to local hospitals on what their conditions are.
