DALLAS, Texas — After one victim ran to a neighborhood alley for help following an attack and shooting, neighbors are reflecting on the incident – calling it unusual. They hope whoever is responsible is caught as soon as possible.
Henry and Debra Trimble have lived in the area for years.
"The neighborhood is a very quiet, peaceful neighborhood,” said Henry Trimble.
Their neighborhood alley in the 900 block of Medalist Drive is back open after a violent and deadly shooting took place over the weekend.
On Saturday, Sept. 30, the Trimbles found the alley flooded with police while leaving their home to attend Henry's class reunion.
"We got downstairs, and the officers had the alley blocked," Henry Trimble said. "We couldn't get out, so they managed to let us out."
Dallas police officers responded to the area at about 11 a.m. that morning after a good Samaritan, Mario Gordon, called 911 for a woman who had been shot before running outside of a home.
Inside that home, officers rescued a man who was yelling for help and who had been tied up. Unfortunately, officers also found 30-year-old Deleon Williams tied up and shot dead, the son and primary caregiver for Henry and Debra Trimble's neighbor – a 72-year-old widower.
"He had just lost his wife about three years ago," Debra Trimble said. "Now, his son is dead. As far as we know, he was paraplegic. He couldn't even walk."
Kristin Lowman serves as the spokesperson for the Dallas Police Department. As DPD Homicide detectives went door to door and searched the area for clues about the suspects, they shared important information about the case to help calm people in the neighborhood.
"Detectives determined that the suspect and victims were known to each other. It was not a home invasion," Lowman said. "The one thing the investigation has shown is that this was not a random act. I think that's important for the for the community to know that."
Lowman also shared that as of Oct. 2, the woman who was rescued from the scene is still in critical condition at a local hospital.
On Oct. 3, the Dallas Police Department confirmed a suspect, identified as 28-year-old Kayla Griffin, was arrested in Bloomfield, New Mexico in connection with the deadly crime. She's currently being held in New Mexico and will face a charge of capital murder, DPD told WFAA.
Still, any information about the deadly shooting could be helpful. Lowman urges anyone with suspect information to come forward, even if they would like to remain anonymous.
So does Henry Trimble, who has served as a crime watch block captain for 12 years. He and his team, along with neighbors, meet with police on a regular basis. A DPD liaison keeps Trimble and other crime watch block captains up to date on trends and incidents in their area. Until now, the number of violent crimes on their street had been zero.
“[It’s] Good when it's zero," Debra Trimble said. "But what happened yesterday [Saturday] was kind of shaky.”
Henry Trimble plans to encourage his neighbors when they see something to say something during their next crime watch meeting -- just like he advises his wife Debra all the time. He also plans to tell them to always be aware of their surroundings when coming and leaving home.
The Trimbles are thankful for their neighbor, Gordon, for coming to the rescue of the victim who came to him for help. That's another reason Henry Trimble believes it's a good idea to get to know your neighbors no matter what street you live on.