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Police search for suspects who shot at family of 5 in Texas, killing 1

Police are searching for at least two individuals who shot a family of five in the parking lot of a Texas apartment complex.
Police search for suspects who shot at family of 5 in Texas, killing 1
Posted at 7:06 PM, Jun 05, 2023
and last updated 2023-06-05 20:06:13-04

Police are searching for at least two suspects after a family of five were shot while parked in a Texas parking lot, killing one and injuring four others, including three kids.

Sunday evening, police say a man and a woman in a black car followed the family as they pulled into an apartment complex in Sunnyvale, Texas. At least one of the two suspects got out of the sedan and shot the family who sat parked, Sunnyvale Police Department Chief Bill Vegas said, making at least six bullet holes in the side of the family's car. 

"I've been in the business 33 years, and it's never an easy scene to walk up on where five people have been shot, three children, is pretty horrific," Vegas said.

Police said 27-year-old Tyesha Merritt died at the scene after trying to run into her apartment. Her brother and his three kids with her were injured. The brother has been released from the hospital, while his kids, ranging in age from 8 to 10, remain in critical but stable condition.

Vegas said finding the masked shooter and the other suspect, along with what could be a black Toyota Camry they were driving, has been difficult.

Police believe the suspects are still armed and are confident the pair left the town of Sunnyvale, which is around 16 miles east of Dallas, and headed toward Mesquite.

Officers are asking for more eyewitnesses to come forward as they work to gather any surveillance video and try to determine the cause for the attack.

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