As Dallas nears 200 homicides, city leaders losing patience in violent crime being addressed

DALLAS - After another fatal shooting Wednesday night brought Dallas homicide count to just one shy of 200, some Dallas city leaders have given up hope on police coming up with plans to stop violent crime by the end of the year.

Many believe because it’s now the holiday season, changes likely won’t start being made until January.

The rising number of homicides in the city seem unaffected by the busy time of year.

After a man was killed and others were caught in the crossfire of a shooting in Southeast Oak Cliff Wednesday night, the number of Dallas homicides sits at 199.

This shooting is just another example of the violent crime that's gripping the city.

The Dallas police chief and assistant city manager are supposed to present a crime reduction plan to the public safety committee next month.

One city councilman says it’s long overdue.

“That's like normal. There's always like people shooting in the neighborhood,” said Danielle Thomas, who lives in the area.

Thomas is careful where she takes her 4-year-old daughter, Chanel.

She said crime in her Southeast Oak Cliff neighborhood seems to be getting worse.

[REPORTER: “Are you worried about safety for you and your girl?”] “Yeah, all the time. All the time. We could be sitting out or taking the trash, and you hear gunshots,” Thomas replied.

Wednesday night, a man was fatally shot in the parking lot of the Exxon Hi-Mart at the corner of Bonnie View and Simpson Stuart roads.

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Dallas police said the victim was hit by a stray bullet from gunfire exchanged by people in two cars driving south on Bonnie View Rd.

A woman sitting in her car was shot in the hand.

Last month, two men were shot in the parking lot of the same store.

The gunmen are still at-large.

“We don't need this anymore and we've got to find a way to do a better job,” Dallas City Councilman Tennell Atkins said.

Atkins represents District 8, which includes the intersection where the shootings happened.

“This community has been suffering with high crime. We need to get a plan together,” he added.

Atkins is referring to the crime reduction plan Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson recently demanded from City Manager T.C. Broadnax.

RELATED: Mayor Eric Johnson demands Dallas Police create crime reduction plan by end of year

Johnson’s letter to the city manager cited the city's homicide rate, which is "on pace for more than 200 homicides for the first time since 2007."

He added that he doesn’t “believe the city council has received a sufficiently clear explanation of what is driving this increase...or what the police department's specific plan is to reverse it."

Johnson reiterated he wants a working plan in place by the end of the year.

Atkins isn't hopeful, and is worried the increased police presence in the area, which included mounted patrol officers a day after the latest shooting, will quickly fade away.

“I'm waiting patiently for the city to do the plan, but the citizens say, Hey, we want to see the plan right away,’” Atkins added. “Every part of the city is different. I don't believe we'll have a plan by the end of the year because it's 14 districts and the community needs to buy into it.”

Atkins said that he's been asking for cameras at that intersection for 11 years, adding that it's vital people feel safe going to that food market because it's the only one in the area.