Four people were killed and 15 others were injured in several Halloween night shooting incidents that took place in Dallas’ entertainment district of Deep Ellum near downtown, police said.
"This is completely unacceptable for it to take place in Dallas, and we’re going to do everything we need to do to get everyone in custody who’s responsible for this," Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux told reporters at a news conference Sunday morning, Nov. 1.
At least one person was in custody, Comeaux said. Some people had self-transported themselves to area hospitals and so the scope of the situation was still fluid, he added.
Police said the first shooting took place on Elm Street about 12:20 a.m., with the second less about 45 minutes later and a block
away. The third followed around 1:35 a.m. about a quarter of a mile away.
So far, Comeaux said, there was no indication that the three incidents were related.
"We’re still putting everything together," he said. "It’s really all over the place right now."
Heightened patrol presence in the area in anticipation of a Saturday Halloween night enabled a rapid response by law enforcement, Comeaux said. In one case, officers were able to apply life-saving measures to "bring back one of the injured."
Responding to reports that police had employed pepper spray or pepper-spray projectiles, he said "officers did what they felt was necessary at the time to bring the scene under control."
Comeaux said police would be reviewing surveillance camera footage from area businesses but called on the public to share any video, photos or social media material that could help provide information.
"We’re already getting information in and so we need to confirm some of this information," he said. "I’m pretty sure someone has caught the proper footage on video that can help us."
Deep Ellum, a historic and popular area just east of downtown, has seen a spike in violent crime in recent years, prompting business owners to petition the city for assistance. This weekend's shootings come nearly six months after a pair of May 2026 shootings in the neighborhood, including one that left a security officer dead.
CBS News reported last year that in addition to ordering the temporary closure of one local bar, the Dallas Police Department increased patrols in the area and worked with a local foundation to create a new safety plan.
"Violent crime is not good for anyone in the district," one business owner told the network. "It hurts businesses. It makes it so people don't want to live here."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 4 killed, 15 injured in multiple Dallas Halloween night shootings
