Thelma Oudemus' faith in God is strong, but it's been tested in recent weeks.
She said she was already grieving the loss of her family when she learned Sunday morning that her granddaughter had been killed in the South Dallas shooting.
“She just picked the wrong night to go out and that's it,” Oudemuth said Sunday afternoon outside her Far East Dallas apartment.
Her granddaughter, Corisha Bradford, 21, died at the hospital after the shooting in the 4500 block of Collins Street. Police said the incident stemmed from a party. Eight other people were injured but are expected to survive.
Oudemus said Bradford's friends visited all Sunday to comfort her.
“She was loved,” Oudemuth said.
On Sunday afternoon, multiple groups of residents were seen sitting in lawn chairs, gathering with family and friends on the Collins Street sidewalk. Dallas Police Department patrol cars regularly plied the narrow neighborhood streets.
Two small bouquets of flowers were visible next to a gold hoop earring in a small patch of grass near where police said the shooting occurred.
While authorities are still trying to determine how the shooting started, people living in the area said they believe it could have been prevented and are angry at the police response.
Police said officers responded to the 4500 block of Collins Avenue around 11:10 p.m. Saturday after receiving reports of shots fired and determined the crowd had moved into the street after a large party had ended.
A Sunday morning news release said the gunfire stopped when officers arrived and police remained in the area to monitor the crowd.
More gunfire erupted just after 1:30 a.m., wounding nine adults in the crowd, police said. An update from officials Sunday afternoon said there were 45 to 50 people in the crowd at the time.
Lisa Mitchell, 49, said she was one of several neighbors who called police around 11 p.m., adding that officers “drove through” the area but should have investigated further. He said he thought that.
“What are we paying DPD for? We have to work to support our families, but make sure you do the job you signed up for,” Mitchell said. . “I don't understand that. If I had gotten up and said something when I called, a bunch of people would have been handcuffed.”
Dallas police spokeswoman Kristin Lowman told reporters Sunday morning that officers were on patrol when the second shooting began. She said police officers cannot disperse people unless criminal activity occurs.
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said, “Although a preliminary investigation determined that responding officers did not observe any criminal activity in the area at the time, this incident ultimately had a tragic outcome.'' ” he said. “I have ordered an internal investigation to determine whether the situation on this call could have been handled differently.”
Seven women and two men were taken to the hospital by Dallas Fire Rescue and a private vehicle after the shooting, police said.
Detectives believe one person fired shots into the crowd and multiple others began firing as well.
Police said late Sunday morning they did not know how many people fired their guns or how many shots were fired. Lowman said detectives are investigating who fired the shots and why.
Police could not provide a suspect description Sunday morning, but said the shooting may be gang-related. Lowman declined to comment on how police determined there may have been gang involvement, citing the ongoing investigation, but said the shooting was “not a random crime.” said.
Oudemuth said he was still trying to get over the loss of his family.
She remembered Bradford as someone who loved music and had a beautiful singing voice.
“She was with me, so she was an old soul. They wanted her to sing in church,” Ms. Oudemuth said. “Yesterday, she was talking about how she was going to go to church today.''
Oudemus said he found some comfort in the message of Houston-based televangelist Joel Osteen's Sunday morning sermon. She and her granddaughter often watched together.
“You give it to God. He will solve everything,” Oudemuth said. “Give it to him. That's what I've been doing all my life.”
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Dallas Police Detective Phillip Wheeler at 214-671-3686 or phillip.wheeler@dallaspolice.gov and reference case number 058327-2024.
The shooting continued deadly violence in Dallas over the weekend.
Isaiah Blasig Prickett, 20, was shot and killed early Friday morning at Love Field. Shaquetta Johnson, 30, was found shot to death in her car in East Oak Cliff around 12:30 a.m. Saturday. Sophonius Eduardo Gonzalez Morgan, 27, died about 1:10 a.m. Saturday after being shot in northwest Dallas. Also, a man and two other people, whose identities have not yet been released, were fatally shot in East Oak Cliff around 8:40 p.m. Saturday.
“The men and women of this department work every day to keep our city safe,” Garcia said. “It is important that we gather all the facts before drawing any conclusions. I am committed to holding the Dallas Police Department to the highest levels of accountability, professionalism, and transparency.”
