Kenneth Walker

Friends and family remembered Kenneth Walker, an 18-year-old Black male known as KJ, as a funny, loving, and caring young man with a "heart of gold" and a smile that could light up a room. A student at Duncanville High School, his life was cut short in a burst of gunfire in Dallas, Texas.

In the early morning hours of Sunday, September 19, 2021, a chaotic shooting erupted in the Deep Ellum neighborhood. At approximately 12:42 a.m., Dallas police officers on patrol near the intersection of North Malcolm X Boulevard and Main Street heard gunshots. They saw Kenneth fall to the ground with a gunshot wound to his stomach as a gun fell from his hand. The gunfire wounded five other people. A second victim, 19-year-old Darryus Rice, was shot in the head. Four females between the ages of 15 and 30 suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Kenneth was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced deceased shortly after arriving. Darryus died from his injuries several hours later.

As officers responded to the scene, they saw 19-year-old Lathaniel Pearson firing a handgun. Police ordered him to drop his weapon, which he did before fleeing on foot. After a short chase, officers caught and arrested him. Pearson was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for firing into the crowd and with evading arrest. Investigators noted at the time that it was unclear if any of the rounds he fired were responsible for the deaths or injuries.

The investigation continued for two months. On November 19, 2021, Dallas police made a second arrest in the case. Omari Cooper, a 20-year-old man, was taken into custody and charged with the murder of Kenneth Walker.

As of November 2021, the case was proceeding through the legal system. In the wake of the shooting, Dallas police asked anyone with information regarding the investigation to contact Homicide Detective Jake Morgan at 214-671-3630. Crime Stoppers also offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment.