Crime & Safety

Fort Worth Considering Illegal Gunfire Campaign

Police Chief Eddie Garcia said this is a year-round issue affecting residents citywide.

The Fort Worth City Council learned more about a proposed illegal gunfire communications campaign at its Tuesday work session.

The presentation was delivered by chief communications officer Sana Syed and Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia. Garcia started the presentation by outlining the purpose of the campaign, discussion of which was prompted by an increase in arrests related to illegal gunfire from 2024 to 2025.

According to Garcia, the average of most suspects involved in illegal gunfire is 16 to 23 years old. Stray bullet incidents often spike around July 4, New Year's Eve, and major sporting events, but Garcia stressed that it is a year-round issue affecting residents all over the city.

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Campaign objectives include:

  • Reducing stray bullet incidents by increasing community awareness of the risks and consequences of reckless gun use.
  • Reassuring residents and community members that the city is taking action to put a stop to the incidents and will not tolerate illegal gun violence.
  • Establishing a culture of safety, community intolerance, and active engagement regarding illegal gunfire in Fort Worth.

"We as a police department and as a city take this seriously," Garcia said. "We do not see this as celebratory. We see it as a potential and/or violent crime."

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The city intends to achieve these goals by using a variety of methods to communicate and educate residents, with an emphasis on communicating in areas that have a higher number of incidents.

The city will also work closely with regional school districts to share educational materials with parents and students. Outreach and education efforts will increase leading up to major holidays, in particular July 4 and New Year's Eve.

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