DALLAS, Texas — “Deep Ellum is a lost cause! A full ghetto place,” said Dallas resident Mohammad Mostafavi.
“Trashy part of Dallas,” said Denton resident Tonya Wakefield. “Why people go down there is beyond me!”
Both comments echo many similar posts on Facebook in response to the Sept. 19 Deep Ellum shooting resulting in six people shot, two of them North Texas teenagers who lost their lives.
The incident happened shortly before 12:45 a.m. outside a busy nightclub at the corner of Main Street and Malcolm X Boulevard. 18-year-old Kenneth Walker died at the scene; 19-year-old Darryus Rice died later in the week.
Four others were caught in the crossfire of what police say were several people firing guns during the shooting. One of the victims recovering after being shot twice in the leg is 15 years old.
Police arrested 18-year-old Lathaniel Pearson, the one person they caught pointing a gun near the shooting, although it’s unclear if he’s responsible for shooting any of the six.
When business owner LaDonna Stein learned the shooting happened on her block, she said it made her sad the news didn’t come as a surprise.
“This kind of thing happens all the time, unfortunately,” said Stein who co-owns Dallas Pin Up, a women’s clothing and gift shop located on Main Street.
Stein helped open the shop 10 years ago and has co-owned and operated it for the last four years. She enjoyed the Deep Ellum nightlife when she was younger, but says she tries to avoid the area as soon as the shop closes.
“I try to get out of here by 8 p.m.,” she said, “It’s mainly to avoid the traffic, but I don’t want to be out here too late, it can get crazy.”
She loves the neighborhood and said she’s accepted the bad with the good, witnessing the ebb and flow of Deep Ellum’s crime. However, she doesn’t want people to believe it's all bad. She feels discouraged to see the comments people post about the community.
“Deep Ellum is not a lost cause,” she said in a sad tone.
As the mother of a 19-year-old who frequents Deep Ellum after midnight, she said that regulations for the many teenagers who visit at night need to be tightened. She believes the majority of the crime in the neighborhood is linked to those underage and would like to see more of a police presence at night.
“There are areas where it just seems too intense with fighting,” said Stein. “It seems the fighting is just for social media. There is a lot of that.”
Another person bothered by Deep Ellum’s negative reputation is Robert Ayala. Ayala has managed Maracas Mexican restaurant for the past 11 years and agrees with Stein that the crime is largely a result of underage fighting.
“The kids don’t have no business out here,” he said.
He’d like to see a mandated curfew for the underage who can be found visiting the area, “hanging outside bars they're too young to enter.” Ayala said he would also like to see police officers carding the groups of teenagers in the area after 10 p.m.
“They had a curfew during COVID. They should always have it for the kids that come out here at night.” said Ayala.
He knows Deep Ellum might not be so welcoming to those scared of the crimes that keep happening, but hopes Dallas police will work diligently to make the area safer at night.
In response to the shootings, Police Chief Eddie García said, "We are taking Deep Ellum back for our city. Zero tolerance.”
He claims this area will be a focus for officers moving forward, and said the department will reevaluate their plan to figure out where police presence is needed.
The department hasn’t released a motive or any information on other suspects they may be looking for.
Stein worries the crimes that have become a normal occurrence will affect the vibrant businesses in the neighborhood and doesn't plan on staying open after 8 p.m. anytime soon.
“I don’t know what the solutions are. It’s complicated, it always is. There’s not a one-size-fits-all solution,” she said.
If you have an interesting story or an issue you’d like to see covered, let us know about it.
Share your ideas with DFW human interest reporter Lupe Zapata : Lupe.Zapata@Charter.com
