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New leads sought 2 years after trail ride shooting
This week marks two years since gunfire rang out at an Oak Cliff music festival and trail ride. Two people were shot by the wild bullets. One of the victims was 26-year-old Kealon Gilmore, who died. The other survived.
DALLAS - This week marks two years since gunfire rang out at an Oak Cliff music festival and trail ride.
Two people were shot by the wild bullets. One of the victims was 26-year-old Kealon Gilmore, who died. The other survived.
Several other people were trampled as people tried to get away from the gunfire.
Gilmore's mother and Dallas police are hoping to get new leads in the case.
"It has changed my life drastically. I have emotional breakdowns, depression...bad… bad. I've shut down. I'm about to cry, but I've shut down a lot," said Shalonda Gilmore, Kealon's mother.
Gilmore has a tribute outside of her home in honor of her son for all to see.
"I'm glad I'm still sane, that's all I can say. It's hard, I have my days," said Gilmore.
Kealon was an innocent victim at the music festival and trail ride on April 3, 2022.
The event, held in the 5600 block of Cleveland Road, was three minutes from Gilmore's home.
"I used to go that way to Lancaster all the time. Being that that has happened, I have not been able to go that way," said Gilmore. "I can't drive that way. I get too emotional."
The two victims in the shooting were not part of the fight, nor were they firing weapons.
Two men were arrested weeks after the shooting and charged with felony deadly conduct, but those charges were reduced to misdemeanors not linked to his murder.
"Two detectives that were on the case retired," said Gilmore.
It was unassigned for a time, but now Detective Eric Barnes has picked up the file, and police plan to release a flyer publicly.
"This is where we continue to need the community's help. They can contact us with any piece of information that they have. Maybe they were there, maybe they heard something about what happened when someone they knew was at the event, but that tiny bit of information is what could be key for our detective," said Dallas Police spokesperson Kristin Lowman.
Around 2,000 people were at the festival, but lips have been tight.
"My thing is this could be you in my shoes. Say something, they have hotlines, anonymous lines, reach out, talk," said Gilmore. "This is no justice for Kealon. No peace for me."
Gilmore is talking through the t-shirt line she created that she wears daily until she says the scales of justice tip in her favor.
"This is what I represent. Every day you are going to see me in one of these. Every day to carry his name on. I'm not going to give up, I'm not going to give up," she said.
Kealon Gilmore would have celebrated a birthday just a few days ago. Dallas police are hoping someone who knows something will do the right thing.