On April 5, 2023, 17-year-old Omarian Jamal Frazier was fatally shot at a 7-Eleven convenience store located at 1010 Ross Avenue in downtown Dallas, Texas. The incident occurred shortly after 5:30 p.m., when Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) officers responded to reports of a shooting and found Frazier deceased at the scene. Another victim, 18-year-old Gayle Jones, sustained critical injuries, including a gunshot wound to the eye, and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Both Frazier and Jones were interns at Café Momentum, a Dallas-based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing culinary training and life skills to at-risk youth. The organization expressed deep sorrow over Frazier's death, describing him as "an inspiration to everyone who knew him" and lamenting the loss of his promising future.
In the days following the shooting, Dallas police arrested 24-year-old Donald Moore in connection with the incident. According to an arrest affidavit, Moore had been assaulted by two individuals outside the same 7-Eleven on April 3, two days prior to the shooting. Believing Frazier and Jones resembled his assailants, Moore allegedly sought revenge and mistakenly targeted them on April 5. He has been charged with murder, with bond set at $250,000.
The tragic event has highlighted concerns about rising gun violence affecting young people in Dallas. As of mid-April 2023, 13 of the 83 gun violence victims in the city were aged 18 or younger. Frazier's death has prompted calls for increased efforts to address the safety and well-being of youth in the community.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Café Momentum established a GoFundMe campaign to assist with funeral expenses for Frazier's family and medical costs for Jones. The organization continues to honor Frazier's memory, remembering him as a bright and hardworking young man whose life was tragically cut short.
