US gun violence: State Fair of Texas evacuated, suspect in custody as Dallas police investigate shooting, 3 injured

DALLAS (Texas, US), Oct 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Dallas police are investigating a shooting Saturday night at the State Fair of Texas.

The State Fair posted on social media just after 8 p.m. that Fair Park was being evacuated as police investigated a shooting at the fair. It urged people to avoid the area.

Police said around the same time that one suspect was in custody. That person was not identified.

Dallas City Council member Adam Bazaldua, whose district includes Fair Park, said in a post on X that he’d been briefed on the situation by City Manager T.C. Broadnax.

Bazaldua said the shooting took place in the food court and was “sparked from a dispute between two people who knew each other.” Three people were injured, according to Bazaldua.

Videos from the fairgrounds posted online show a large number of people running and seeking shelter.

The shooting came a year to the day after a report of a shooting at the fair led to chaos at Fair Park. Police later said there was no shooting, and a fair spokeswoman said the pandemonium appeared to be purposely caused by people running through the crowds.

The State Fair’s website says that no weapons are allowed on the fairgrounds but goes on to say the fair “has long allowed Fair attendees with valid handgun licenses to carry their handguns in a concealed manner.” Visitors to the fair walk through what is known as an “open gate system” instead of metal detectors. — NNN-AGENCIES