Deep Ellum shooting that left 2 dead, 3 hurt rooted in connection between those slain

Two people were killed and three others were injured in a Deep Ellum shooting early Friday morning, Dallas police said. Two bystanders were caught in the crossfire, police said.

About 2 a.m., officers responded to the 2800 block of Elm Street, near North Crowdus Street, where, police allege, 42-year-old Jermaine Lewis and another man approached 31-year-old Quintin Lowe, who was standing on the sidewalk. An altercation broke out and all three men fired shots, police said.

Lewis and Lowe were pronounced dead at the hospital. The third man underwent surgery and is expected to survive. Police declined to say if he will face charges, saying their investigation is ongoing. The two bystanders caught in the crossfire are expected to survive, police said.

Officers were already patrolling in Deep Ellum as part of their routine duties, so they responded “in seconds,” police said. Police increased their presence in the popular night spot east of downtown Dallas after an uptick in violence that includes other deadly shootings.

At a news conference Friday, Dallas police spokeswoman Kristin Lowman said Lowe and Lewis had previous interactions that involved Lowe trying to rob Lewis last week. Lowman said Lewis recognized Lowe and that led to the shooting. Lowman said she did not have additional details about the previous interaction.

Lowe was also out on $250,000 bail after he was arrested in Denton County on a murder charge, Lowman said. Lowe was accused of murder in a June 2018 deadly shooting in an argument Lewisville police alleged was over a parking spot. His trial was scheduled for August.

Lowman said the shooting shows “how brazen” some crimes are in the city.

“We had uniformed officers just down the street, and people are firing weapons with no regard to public safety,” she said.

Police said everyone involved has been identified and there is no threat to the public.

Shooting comes after string of violent crime

Friday’s shooting was just one of several violent crimes in the popular entertainment district, including another mass shooting as recently as September where two people were killed and four others were injured.

In August, a man speeding west in the 2600 block of Elm Street crashed his truck into a pedestrian, a Dallas police horse and a car. That same month, a man was fatally stabbed in a parking lot near Main Street and Good Latimer Expressway. Other violence includes a musician run over by a duo stealing his band’s tour van in October, and two people shot and wounded by a gunman, also in the 2800 block of Elm Street, last month.

Last fall, Dallas police Chief Eddie García vowed to “take Deep Ellum back” for residents and patrons.

“There’s not an entertainment district in any major city in America that isn’t susceptible to some violence,” he told  at the time. “And unfortunately it occurs. But when it does occur, because of the fact that these areas are so populous, police departments need to respond in kind. So, that’s why we’re going to be more present.”

García has previously cited large crowds, along with the involvement of alcohol in impairing judgement, as the greatest challenges to policing in the district.

In the “interest of public safety,” Dallas police began closing some Deep Ellum streets to vehicle traffic on Friday and Saturday nights last month.

While the closures are implemented each summer, Lowman said this year’s closures started early because of warmer weather and increased pedestrian traffic.

Lowman said Friday there are no plans to implement additional safety measures.

“We’re going to continue to do what we’ve done,” she said. “People are going to see a Dallas police presence as they do in any other district.”

Anyone with information about Friday’s shooting may contact Detective Scott Sayers at 214-671-3647 or scott.sayers@dallascityhall.com.