Family of SMU teen gunned down in downtown Dallas says crime was ‘committed by complete strangers’

The parents of a Southern Methodist University student said the fatal shooting of their 19-year-old son early Saturday in downtown Dallas was an unprovoked attack “committed by complete strangers.”

Officers who responded to a call about the shooting about 3 a.m. found 19-year-old Robert “Jaden” Urrea in the intersection of South Harwood and Jackson streets. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Dr. Robert Urrea and Patricia Urrea said in a written statement Sunday that their son, who went by his middle name, Jaden, had attended a Halloween party in downtown Dallas and spoke to his family before he arranged a rideshare back to campus.

Surveillance video showed two people in a white sedan were “driving recklessly” with their headlights off, the family’s statement said. The sedan pulled over past an intersection where Urrea was crossing, and as he passed behind the car, some communication occurred between him and people in the car.

“As Jaden turns toward the car, he was maliciously shot in the chest at close range,” his family said. “We strongly believe this was a drive-by shooting — unprovoked, committed by complete strangers.”

The parents said they were working closely with Crime Stoppers and Dallas police to find the people who were in the car.

Police said Saturday that the parents were traveling from El Paso to Dallas, but they had not commented publicly beyond their written statement.

Police said Saturday that the white four-door sedan with a sunroof had custom wheels and may have been a Ford.

“Downtown Dallas has hundreds of cameras,” Maj. Danny Williams said Saturday. “We’re confident we will bring this perpetrator to justice.”

Urrea was a 2019 graduate of Coronado High School in El Paso. He was a recent transfer student at SMU and was studying political science on the pre-law track, according to the university.

“Jaden had found a home at SMU and was thriving,” his parents’ statement said. “Our family saw him blossoming as a student, maturing and pursuing his passion in law and music. … He had so much to offer this world and was taken away too soon.”

Melinda J. Sutton, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students at SMU, said the university was offering support services to students who had been affected by Urrea’s killing.

“The death of a student is hard to understand and accept,” Sutton said in the university’s written statement. “While the Division of Student Affairs is making every effort to identify and offer help to those who were close to Jaden, it is possible that as others learn of his death, they may need assistance as well.”