Fort Worth, TX | Business owner killed in July 4th shooting

FORT WORTH, Texas — At the intersection of Castleman and Comanche streets in Fort Worth, fireworks commemorate the events of July 4.

“It was fun. It started out great. Everyone came out and cooked in their front yards,” said Lizbeth, a neighbor. “They started shooting and it just went downhill from there.”

The 16-year-old girl was on the porch with her family when they heard gunshots. “I ran into my house, grabbed my (3-year-old) brother and pulled him inside, and then everyone ran and hid in each other’s houses.”

Fort Worth police were already monitoring the area. They confirmed that 200 to 300 people occupied the block. Police said fireworks, which are illegal in Fort Worth, were fired at homes on the street.

Latasha Hymond streamed live on Facebook from Castleman Street. Family members said the 39-year-old makeup artist and business owner was killed in the crossfire.

Her cousin, Pastor Felton Jenkins, learned of her death in the morning. “She’s sweet. She’s my angel,” Jenkins said. “Every time we see each other, we’ll hug each other, kiss each other, smile at each other, dance, whatever we want. We’ll cheer each other up. She was loved by everyone.”

As a community leader, he fights against gun violence every day, but this time, he said, it is a personal pain.

Two other victims of the shooting survived, police said. They said another person died after a medical emergency. Police currently believe there are several suspects, but no one has been arrested yet.

“Come on, Fort Worth,” Pastor Jenkins said. “This is real. Stop these street parties.” He hopes people who know what happened will come forward so the suspects can be arrested.

For Lizbeth, hearing gunshots on her street is nothing new. “You grow up with it, you get used to it,” says the teenager. But the fact that the celebration turned into a deadly night is discouraging to her.