14-year-old shot in back when family meets stranger for online car sale in Fort Worth
A 14-year-old was shot in the back in west Fort Worth on Wednesday night when his family went to look at a car that had been advertised on social media.
The family drove to apartments off Normandale Street about 10 p.m. to meet a person who advertised having a car available for private sale, according to police.
The stranger they met pulled a gun and as the family tried to drive away, he shot the teen in the lower back, police said. The victim was taken to a hospital and was reported to be in stable condition after surgery.
Police have not announced an arrest in the case as of Thursday night.
The Fort Worth Police Department offers E-Commerce Exchange Zones in the lobbies and parking lots of its district offices as a safe place for buyers and sellers of items advertised online to meet. Gun sales are not allowed in those locations.
If you can’t go to a police station, Fort Worth police offer these tips when arranging an in-person meeting with someone for an exchange:
Don’t meet people at your home.
Meet in public at a place with a lot of people around such as a restaurant or shopping area.
Never conduct business inside a vehicle.
Try not to meet at night but if necessary, pick a well-lit and highly populated spot.
As a 14yo recovers from a gunshot wound who was with his family for an in-person meeting for an online car sale, FWPD Ofcr Bradley Perez told me - use their E-Commerce Zones, & listen to your gut when dealing with strangers! @wfaa @fortworthpd @scoopjefferson @CityofFortWorth pic.twitter.com/bWCz2XbxZB
— Scoop Jefferson (@scoopjefferson) May 18, 2023
Anyone with information about Wednesday’s shooting can call in a tip to Crime Stoppers at 817-469-TIPS.
