”He tried to snatch my necklace so that it made believe he was trying to rob me,” said Dews.
He was shot trying to defend himself.
“He pulled a gun, and I started running and he shot me twice in the stomach and once in my back leg,” said Dews.
Tyron says after this happened, he went back into the community to help groups like Urban Specialists stop the violence.
”Because we lived it, we grow through it, and we’ve been there,” said Dews.
He and community crime fighters like Antong Lucky, who runs Urban Specialists, say they believe their work and teaming up with Dallas Police is helping reduce violence.
”It’s hard when you are looking at the news and you are seeing something happen day in and day out, but I do feel like the chief’s crime reduction plan is working,” said Lucky.
According to the Dallas Police Department, violent crime is down more than 16%, including aggravated assaults.
”Nearly 1000 less victims of aggravated assaults nonfamily violence that we know most often that is perpetrated by a firearm," said Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia. "That’s an indication of violent crime."
The one category that is up are homicides, by nearly 13%. Garcia says there have been some terrible cases, including children who have lost their lives this year, but he says the majority of homicide victims were involved in other crimes.
”We have to focus on 70% of our victims were involved in criminal activity," said Garcia. "We have to find a way as a community and as a department to ensure there is a better path for individuals."
And that is where groups like Urban Specialists come in.
“When you have a police chief that is saying 'let’s address systemic issues, lets give organizations some programs to those individuals who are more likely to commit crime,' that’s different, “ said Lucky.
Garcia’s crime plan focuses on putting officers in higher crime areas and going after habitual criminals. He says gun violence is also down across the city but he says he understands the battle against crime goes as the department works to reduce the number of victims.