DALLAS — Two men were killed and three others injured in a shooting in Deep Ellum early Friday morning, police said.
Police have identified everyone involved in the shooting, and no suspects were at-large, though it remained unclear later Friday whether anyone had been arrested in the shooting.
The shooting happened around in the 2800 block of Elm Street around 2 a.m. as clubs and bars were letting out for the night, executive assistant chief Albert Martinez said in an early-morning news conference.
Martinez said the incident happened as a crowd had gathered near a barbecue truck at Elm and Crowdus.
In a news release later Friday, police said investigators learned that a man had been approached by two men while he was standing on a sidewalk along Elm Street.
Both sides started shooting, police said.
The three men who shot at each other were injured, along with two other men who were caught in the crossfire, police said.
Two of the men, identified as Jermaine Lewis, 42, and Quintin Lowe, 31, died at a hospital.
The other three men injured in the shooting were also taken to a hospital, where they survived.
Lewis and Lowe were part of the group of men involved in the initial conflict, police said. The men who were caught in the crossfire have not been identified.
Martinez called the incident "isolated" and said there was no threat to the public after officers responded.
According to police, Lewis and Lowe recognized each other prior to the shooting after Lowe had allegedly tried to rob Lewis in April. Police said when they recognized each other, both pulled out their weapons and fatally shot each other.
Police said Lowe had also been released on bond in May 2021 for a murder charge in Denton County.
"To have an individual suspected of murder out on bond and a year later have a gun and be involved in two deaths in our city is a slap in the face," Police Chief Eddie Garcia said Friday afternoon.
Police sources told WFAA that one of the suspects had a gun that was modified with a device that converted it into a fully automatic weapon. It's unclear which person had this weapon.
Martinez said the shooting was captured on surveillance video and that investigators will be reviewing the footage.
Israel Herrera, the police division chief over Deep Ellum, said officers were stationed in the area as part of their regular duties in Deep Ellum and that police responded to the shooting within seconds, and some officers performed CPR on the shooting victims.
"You have incidents like this where people have no regard for other people's safety," Martinez said. "And they start shooting weapons and they don't care who's in the way."
Watch the full news conference here:
What witnesses saw and heard
Evelyn Logan, who works at the Logan's Original BBQ truck near the shooting, said she was taking orders when she heard five shots fired, and then heard another seven rounds.
Logan took cover under the truck. When the shooting ended, Logan could see shell casings and a weapon near her.
Glenn Logan, who also works at the barbecue stand, said there were "so many shots going on."
"Everyone ducked trying to get out of the way," Glenn Logan said. "It was crazy."
Deep Ellum safety
The shooting Friday came amid recent concerns over safety and crowds in the Deep Ellum area.
A shooting in April injured two people. Meanwhile, police and Deep Ellum Foundation leaders have taken proactive measures to keep the area safer, including cameras that view all areas of the entertainment district; a command center that includes security officers watching live cameras and also serves as a hub for police, code compliance and Dallas Fire-Rescue; and the re-launching of rideshare "flow zones" to help improve traffic and congestion.
In a statement Friday, Deep Ellum Foundation executive director Stephanie Keller Hudiburg said the community was "grateful that, once again, the suspects have been apprehended so quickly."
"This entire community has and will continue to partner closely with DPD, our Councilmember and all our City partners to build and sustain an inviting environment for everyone in Deep Ellum and to bring all our resources to bear to confront those that wish to do harm in our neighborhood," Hudiburg said.
This is a developing story. Check back for more information throughout the morning.