Deep Ellum shootings: Dallas adds officers to its nightlife district

Three shootings in the Deep Ellum entertainment district of Dallas early Sunday, November 1, left four people dead and 15 injured, NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth reported. On Monday, police and federal prosecutors announced Operation Deep Cover, a joint effort to put more law enforcement in the district, the Associated Press reported.

Key points#

The shootings were reported at about 12:19 a.m. on Elm Street, just after 1 a.m. on Main Street and at about 1:35 a.m. on Crowdus Street, according to NBC 5.
Police Chief Daniel Comeaux said the shootings grew out of arguments, and police had not determined whether they were related, the AP reported.
Operation Deep Cover adds uniformed and plainclothes officers and a direct line between Dallas police and federal law enforcement to review Deep Ellum cases, NBC 5 reported.
At a community meeting, curfews, gun-free zones and limits on DART transit traffic at certain times were raised again, WFAA reported.

What police and officials said#

Comeaux said police had added officers in Deep Ellum on Saturday night because they expected Halloween crowds, and one officer less than two blocks away ran toward the gunfire, NBC 5 reported. He also asked anyone with video or pictures from that night to share them with police.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said a man who pointed a loaded gun at a crowd in Deep Ellum that night was charged as a felon in possession of a firearm, the AP reported. Police said that man was not responsible for any of the shootings, according to NBC 5.

Dallas police later released surveillance images of a potential suspect recorded on Main Street at 1:56 a.m., WFAA reported. At a Deep Ellum Foundation listening session, the owner of a piano bar across from one scene said the area keeps holding meetings without change. A second session with the city manager and police chief was set for Friday.

A district with a history#

The violence follows earlier incidents this year, the AP reported: two people were fatally stabbed outside a nightclub in February, and in May a security guard was shot and killed while breaking up a fight inside a nightclub.

What it means for your company#

Staff for the peak, not the average. Holiday weekends and late hours drew the crowds in Deep Ellum. Build schedules with extra officers for those nights.
Write clear rules for fights. Put in the post orders when officers step back, who calls emergency services and where they wait for first responders.
Know the patrol plan. With more uniformed and plainclothes officers in a district, ask the client who your officers should report to and how to reach the patrol on duty.
Save video and write it down fast. Have officers preserve camera footage and file an incident report before the shift ends.
Check the law before changing screening. Bag checks, weapons screening and gun-free signs follow state rules. Ask a Texas attorney or the state licensing agency before you change them.

In Guardix, officers file incident reports from the mobile app with photos stamped with the date, time and GPS position, and managers can export them as a PDF.

Frequently asked questions#

What is Operation Deep Cover in Dallas?#

It is a joint effort by Dallas police and federal law enforcement announced on November 2 after the Deep Ellum shootings. It adds uniformed and plainclothes officers and lets federal partners review current and earlier Deep Ellum cases for links, NBC 5 reported.

How many people were hurt in the Deep Ellum shootings?#

Four people were killed and 15 were injured in three shootings over about an hour and 15 minutes early Sunday, the AP reported. Police had not said whether the shootings were connected.