Fort Worth West 7th deadly shooting suspect turns himself in
FORT WORTH, Texas - The man wanted for a deadly shooting in Fort Worth’s West 7th Entertainment District over the weekend has turned himself in.
The surrender came after Fort Worth police announced on Monday that they knew who they were looking for.
Karlove Palmer, 29, is in the Tarrant County jail charged with the murder of a 29-year-old man.
The shooting happened just outside a virtual reality business Saturday night. FOX 4 learned the shooter and the victim both had reservations there, but it’s still unclear how well they knew each other.
Fort Worth police credited the homicide unit for its quick work to identify Palmer as the shooter and issue a warrant for his arrest.
Karlove Palmer (Tarrant County Jail)
In the wake of this shooting, Fort Worth police say they are taking safety in the West Seventh Entertainment District seriously.
On the weekends, the popular area is packed with people enjoying the bars, restaurants and stores.
Saturday was no different until just after 10 p.m. when police say two men got in an argument outside Sandbox VR.
Police say the fight ended when Palmer pulled out a gun and shot and killed 29-year-old Bryson Todgers.
"We recognize the popularity of the West Seventh area means that those who were down there were also victimized by this incident," said Fort Worth Police Sgt. Jason Spencer.
Monday, Fort Worth police issued a warrant for murder with Palmer's name on it. He turned himself in to the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office Monday night.
Police wouldn’t reveal how the two men knew each other, but employees at the virtual reality business told FOX 4 the two had a reservation Saturday night.
On a weekend night, police say anywhere between 8 to 10,000 people go to the West Seventh Entertainment District.
There are 25 officers dedicated to the area as part of the west seventh patrol unit. There are also cameras that are monitored.
"They are out there actively looking for people coming into that area who are bent on causing trouble, who are either involved in gang or drug activity or just carrying illegal weapons," Spencer said. "And they’ve done a great job in filtering out a lot of that activity."
In January, the city of Fort Worth approved $300,000 to implement an ambassador program of paid, unarmed citizens in bright vests who can help people when needed.
"It just puts more eyes and ears on the street," Spencer said. "A visible presence, not just for crime but just to assist people."
Right now, there’s no specific date on when the program will start.
"Most of the time, it’s actually a fairly low crime area," Spencer said. "We’ll deal with typical intoxicated-related things. The officers down there are very good at defusing situations and helping people move on."
FOX 4 spoke with several business owners about safety in the neighborhood, but no one wanted to go on camera.
"We want you to know that we want all our Fort Worth residents to feel safe to come out and enjoy their entertainment districts," Spencer said.
Fort Worth police didn’t specify how detectives were able to identify Palmer as the suspect, but they did thank the public for their help.
Palmer is charged with murder and is currently being held at the Tarrant County jail. No bond information has been set.