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FORT WORTH — Most days, 5-year-old Rayshard Scott sprinted door to door, looking for neighbors to play tag or hide-and-seek.
On Sunday, Rayshard was playing outside when gunfire shot through his north Fort Worth neighborhood.
Rayshard and a 17-year-old boy, Jamarrien Monroe, were killed in the drive-by shooting. An 18-month-old was wounded but is expected to recover. Police have not released a description of the shooters or described a potential motive.
Neighbors on Monday were grappling with the stunning violence, and several parents said they would no longer allow their children to play in their front yards. Terrified, some kept their children home from school.
“They were just children,” said Amber Kurtz, who lives across the street from the boys and has two children, ages 2 and 11. “They were too young to die.”
The shooting is one of several homicides in Fort Worth over the weekend, boosting the number of homicides in 2022 to one more than at the same point last year despite a new violent-crime strategy, according to police.
“We would like to assure our community that we are working diligently to bring those responsible before the criminal justice system, and we are working tirelessly to make Fort Worth the safest major city in the U.S.,” police said in a statement on Monday.
Residents described the neighborhood, Quarter Horse Estates, as safe and quiet. Most of the homes were built in the last two to three years, drawing young families looking for affordable prices and a sense of community.
On Monday, the neighborhood was quiet, save for an occasional news truck. A Citizens on Patrol neighborhood watch truck circled the block.
Ruben Reyes, who lives a few houses from the home where the shooting happened, said he was home Sunday when he heard a barrage of gunfire.
Reyes ran outside, where he heard a woman screaming, “Someone shot my baby. Call 911.”
In the garage, he found Rayshard lying face down. Using one hand to stop the bleeding, Reyes whispered to the boy.
“God loves you. Jesus is with you,” he recalled saying, over and over. “Stay strong. Just keep breathing.”
Rayshard, who started kindergarten this month, was pronounced dead Sunday afternoon at Cook Children’s Medical Center.
Jamarrien, who neighbors said went inside the home after he was shot, was pronounced dead around the same time at John Peter Smith Hospital.
On Monday, Reyes said he was devastated and has been unable to sleep. Still, he said he does not feel unsafe.
“This is a safe place,” he said. “It was an isolated incident.”
Outside the home where the shooting happened, bullet holes were visible on the garage door.
A white sign leaned against the home’s front door with the words “Love thy neighbor” and “We are here for you.” In smaller letters: “Rest in love Kings.”
Next to the sign lie a teddy bear, pink roses and two matchbox cars.
As he walked his 8-year-old daughter, Believe, home from school, Boss Ndosimau said the shooting had shattered his family’s sense of security.
“Kids usually play outside all day,” Ndosimau said, gesturing toward the block. “But I think that will all change.”