Arlington police charged a 21-year-old man with murder after a 4-year-old boy was shot dead shortly after midnight while celebrating his new year.
According to Arlington police, shots were reported at an apartment complex on Block 700 of Washington Drive, near Collins Street and Lamar Boulevard, around 12:36 p.m., and a caller reported of seeing two people leave the complex with a child who was bleeding.
When officers arrived, they saw a trail of blood leading to a residence. They entered the apartment unclosed and found what was described as a “crime scene,” but there was no one inside.
Shortly afterwards, officers informed Grand Prairie police that a 4-year-old boy had been taken to a hospital there and that the boy had died from an apparent gunshot wound to the head.
Police confirmed to NBC on Friday afternoon that they interviewed four adults, two who were in the hospital and two who returned to the apartment after leaving the hospital, who told police who were in the apartment at the time of the shooting.
Lt. Christopher Cook with the Arlington Police Department said Friday afternoon that one of the adults initially told police the bullet was a street that had entered the apartment from the outside through the sliding door. of glass.
“We were able to disprove this story and determine, based on site ballistic evidence, that round did not enter through the apartment window,” Cook said. “There was damage to the apartment window, but it was previous damage.”
Cook said one of the occupants later told police they were celebrating and dancing inside the apartment, that they had a gun outside and that he accidentally shot and hit the boy in the head.
“Again, another tragic case, certainly avoidable,” Cook said.
Information released by the Tarrant County Medical Office identified the boy on Friday morning as Messiah Taplin, 4, of Corsicana. The coroner’s office confirmed that the boy was shot in the head at the Arlington Residence apartments and was taken nearly 16 miles away to Baylor Scott & White Emergency Hospital in South Grand Prairie. where he died about 1:15 p.m.
No further details were known about who had the gun when it was fired or the relationship with the child.
On Friday, police charged 21-year-old Zantyler Foster-Hooks with murder and sent him to Arlington City Jail.
Arlington Police Department Zantyler Foster-Hooks, 21 years.
Police did not disclose the relationship between the child and the adults in the apartment, but said he lives there. They added that the child’s biological mother lives outside the area and was not present when her son was shot.
The investigation into the shooting continues. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Charles Cisneros at 817-575-3169. Tipsters can also remain anonymous by contacting Tarrant County Crime Stoppers at 817-469-TIPS
Emilio Ramos, of Telemundo 39, contributed to this report.