Dallas PD: 9-year-old girl killed in gang-related shooting

DALLAS - A 9-year-old girl was killed in what police call an attack by gang members at her apartment in Old East Dallas.

The shooting happened around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Roseland Townhomes on Munger Avenue.

Witnesses recalled hearing up to five gunshots. One of those bullets struck and killed 9-year-old Brandoniya Bennett inside of an apartment.

But Dallas Police Sgt. Warren Mitchell said she and her family were not the intended targets. Instead, investigators believe at least two gang members showed up to shoot someone but had the wrong apartment.

When that person didn’t come out, they shot into the building and hit the little girl. She was taken to Baylor Hospital but did not make it.

Neighbors are shocked this could happen.

“How would anybody feel losing a 9-year-old? I have kids that small and I just, I can’t say,” said Bridget Daniels.

Police also said this type of tragedy is difficult to process.

“You start thinking about your own children. You can hardly imagine the toll it’s taking on the family, but even the officers who have to respond to scenes like this. It’s a scene that we never want to respond to. But we understand we have a job to do and we’re going to do it,” Sgt. Mitchell said.

Police have not yet listed the gangs involved or released descriptions of the suspects. There’s also no word on what type of vehicle they may have been in.

There was a shooting near the same apartments just six weeks ago. In that case, two 17-year-old boys were killed and two others were wounded.

Police said they were playing dice when someone drove by and opened fire on them. No arrests have been made in that case.