Dallas Deep Ellum shootings leave security guard dead, five injured

Joseph Gray was working a security shift in Deep Ellum to make extra money for a baby on the way when the night turned deadly. The 26-year-old was shot outside La Tardeada in the 2800 block of Elm Street and later died, while five people were wounded in a separate shooting just blocks away on Commerce Street.

Dallas police first responded just before 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, to the 2900 block of Commerce Street, where officers found five people with gunshot wounds. All five were expected to survive. Three were taken to the hospital by Dallas Fire-Rescue, and two arrived by private vehicle. The scene unfolded as hundreds of people packed Deep Ellum for Cinco de Mayo celebrations, turning one of Dallas’s busiest nightlife corridors into a maze of sirens, flashing lights, and scattered crowds.

While officers were still working that scene, a second shooting was reported around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 6, on Elm Street. Police said the preliminary investigation showed 23-year-old Detorius Tarver had been involved in a physical disturbance inside La Tardeada before opening fire on Gray, who was trying to break up the fight. Gray was rushed to the hospital by a co-worker, but he did not survive.

Tarver was arrested at the scene and charged with murder. FOX 4 reported that other security guards tackled him after the shooting, handcuffed him, and held him until police arrived. The outlet also reported that officers recovered the handgun from Tarver and that he confessed during questioning, according to an affidavit.

Gray’s family said he had picked up the shift unexpectedly because he was trying to save money for his family. His girlfriend is three months pregnant, and relatives said he was supposed to have the day off. The killing cut through Deep Ellum’s usual nightlife rhythm with the kind of sudden, close-range violence that leaves the district’s workers, dancers, bartenders, and late-night crowds thinking about how fast a routine evening can collapse.

Police said the two shootings were unrelated, despite happening only blocks apart in the same overnight stretch. That distinction did little to quiet the larger alarm in Deep Ellum, where the Deep Ellum Foundation said extra security officers were already patrolling because of holiday crowds. The foundation has pushed for a new entertainment permit for late-night venues so safety standards would be consistent across the district. La Tardeada temporarily suspended operations on May 8 while the investigation continued, and city leaders were expected to be briefed as the debate over Deep Ellum’s nightlife safety intensified once again.