Fort Worth Como Shooting: Man shot while shielding daughter from gunfire
FORT WORTH, Texas - A father says he was shielding his daughter during Monday night's mass shooting in Fort Worth's Como neighborhood when he was shot.
The man is still recovering in the hospital but took the time to talk with FOX 4 about that night.
Meantime, police still haven't made any arrests or even released any possible suspect descriptions for the shooting that killed three people and injured eight others.
Homicide detectives do have leads they are looking into.
Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes says while his investigators are working on the case, at the same time tips have been scarce from the community.
Cell phone video shows Daron Rutherford collapsed on the grass after he says he was shot in the side during Monday’s mass shooting.
"I got up and tried to walk. I couldn’t walk," he said. "I tried to crawl. I couldn’t crawl."
Thursday, the 36-year-old spoke with FOX 4 from his hospital bed.
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Rutherford recounted hearing the gunshots and instantly shielding his 16-year-old daughter behind someone’s truck.
A woman who was recording her route to safety captured Rutherford struggling to stand.
"I start calling everybody’s name that I knew behind the truck to come and help me," he said.
Daron Rutherford speaks to FOX 4 from his hospital room.
Rutherford says EMS arrived quickly, and he immediately went into surgery.
Eleven people total were shot just before midnight Monday evening when police say several gunmen opened fire in the middle of a large gathering nearly two hours after the Independence Day celebration, Comofest.
Three people died, including 22-year-old Cynthia Santos, 18-year-old Paul Willis and 18-year-old Gabriella Navarrete.
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Fort Worth Como Shooting: What we know about the victims
All of the victims of the Como shooting have now been identified. Details are beginning to be released about them.
FOX 4 learned Thursday that Navarrete just graduated from Weatherford High School and was enrolled in a Southlake makeup institute.
So far, no arrests.
Chief Noakes says homicide detectives have leads.
Investigators are focused on newly installed Flock cameras and surveillance video of the crowd before and after the shooting.
FOX 4 obtained the surveillance video hours after the mass shooting showing different angles of pure panic.
However, the chief says only a handful of people out of the hundreds present Monday have come forward with information.
"What we need is community support in this. We need people to come forward," he said. "Let us know about the people involved, why it happened, and where we can find the people we need to talk to."
Chief Noakes feels his department has made progress in relations with the community, but community leaders voiced this week the strain is still present.
"There is a lot more we have to do, especially when we are talking about the younger folks that live there or anywhere else. There is so much negativity when it comes to the perception of officers. It seems like often all we hear about is the bad things when there are thousands up thousands of good things that are disregarded," he said. "Please don’t misunderstand me, Peyton. We still have work to do. We are committed to doing it. There is no question it will get done. It takes time."
Meanwhile, for Rutherford, reality started to set in Thursday.
"Very lucky. It could’ve went a whole different direction," he said. "A whole different direction, but I guess it didn’t.
Chief Noakes says he had several units just a few blocks away working on the night of the shooting.