Three dead, three injured after Independence Day shooting in Dallas’ Hamilton Park

DALLAS - Dallas police now say six people were shot in Hamilton Park as a Fourth of July celebration turned violent and deadly. 

Three of the gunshot victims died. The original number of people shot was thought to be five.

 "It was a very tragic evening," said Rev. Dr. Sheron Patterson, Hamilton Park United Methodist Church. "Those young people that were killed those people who were harmed in the shooting just the trauma in the neighborhood."

The dead were all young men: Mi’Quarius Alexander, 17, Hassan Blazer, 19, Alvin Ray Murray II, 22.

Patterson, in her fifth year as pastor, hopes the church can be a place for concerned voices to come together.

"We need to bring all the parties involved, all the stockholders, those who care about the community, those who care about moving forward, we all need to come and have a conversation. That’s the community members, community leaders, the young people, the elders and the police all need to be in conversation because all of us want peace all of us want a harmonious neighborhood," Patterson said.

Multiple people, six or more sources say, pulled guns and opened fire Sunday night. There were 100-plus spent shells along Towns Street in front of Hamilton Park Pacesetter Magnet Elementary School.

Brandy Chandler's family was among the first rooted in Hamilton Park. She was stunned by the shooting.

"It was something. Just really surprising though, because there hadn’t been nothing like that. I’m not going to act like nothing happens out here, but definitely not anything like that," Chandler said.

Patterson says she now has a new charge.

"I am known as a spokesperson against police shooting unarmed people. I'll also be a spokesperson against people shooting other people and it boils down to guns and everybody shouldn't have a gun. Everybody should not walk around with a gun, so I am anti-gun violence and I say put the guns down, lets open up our mouths and talk about it and talk it out," Patterson said.

Dallas police are still trying to develop suspects and a reason for the deadly incident.

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