An 18-year-old college baseball player was hit by a stray bullet while playing a game on April 29 at Spring Lake Park in Texarkana, Texas.
According to the Texarkana Texas Police Department, the unintended bullet was a result of a nearby neighborhood altercation. Emergency personnel transported the injured player to St. Michael Hospital for surgery to treat the gunshot wound.
Police linked the shooting to reports of gunfire on Lynda Street, situated west of Spring Lake Park. Officers attending to the victim at the baseball field worked with those investigating on Lynda Street to collect evidence and find witnesses. They discovered multiple shell casings in front of a house on Lynda Street, indicating that a conflict between two men had escalated into a gunfight. Regrettably, one stray bullet traveled approximately 400 yards and struck the unsuspecting player in the bull pen.
The authorities identified Kamauri Butler, 17, and DeMarco Banks, 20, as the shooters and issued felony arrest warrants for both. They fled the scene after the shooting, with Butler facing charges for aggravated assault and Banks for deadly conduct.
In relation to the shooting, police detained three more individuals at the residence: Yankeengea Smith, 49, for illegally possessing a firearm as a felon and for possession of controlled substances, including methamphetamine and Ecstasy pills; Nathan Moore, 19, for tampering with evidence and marijuana possession; and Marcell Beaver, 19, for marijuana possession.
The wounded baseball player is in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery. The baseball game was called off due to the incident, and the Scout-O-Rama event, occurring in another section of the park, was also cut short.
In Texas, stray bullet incidents have continued to pose a significant danger to innocent bystanders and communities. These tragic events often stem from disputes, negligent gun use, or celebratory gunfire.
In August 2020, a pregnant woman in her 20s was hit by a stray bullet in San Antonio, Texas. The woman, who was six months pregnant, was standing outside her apartment when the bullet struck her in the chest. She was rushed to a hospital in critical condition, but both the woman and her unborn child survived. Police later arrested a suspect who had been firing a gun in a nearby parking lot.
In September 2020, a six-year-old boy was injured in a drive-by shooting in Houston, Texas. The stray bullet came through the wall of the child’s home, striking him in the leg while he was playing. He was taken to a hospital and underwent surgery.
In June 2021, a woman was injured by a stray bullet while walking her dog in a North Texas neighborhood. The bullet struck her leg, and she was taken to the hospital for treatment. Police investigated the incident and arrested a suspect who had been firing a gun in his backyard, with the bullet accidentally traveling into the nearby neighborhood.
In December 2020, an innocent bystander was injured by a stray bullet during a New Year’s Eve celebration in Dallas, Texas. The bullet struck the man in the chest, and he was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Police believe the bullet was fired into the air as part of a celebratory gunfire tradition, and they issued a warning to the public about the dangers of such practices.
On New Year’s Day of this year, a Fort Worth, Texas boy was sent to the hospital after being hit by a stray bullet while watching fireworks with his family.