FORT WORTH (WBAP/KLIF News ) – Fort Worth police are reassuring the public that the popular West 7th District is safe after a the man wanted for a deadly shooting over the weekend turned himself in Monday.
29-year-old Karlove Palmer is in the Tarrant County Jail on a murder charge in the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Bryson Rodgers.
Officers were called to Crockett Street and Norwood just after 10 p.m. They found Rodgers suffering from gunshot wounds. First responders rushed Rodgers to the hospital where he later died.
In a Monday afternoon press conference, the department’s Sergeant Jason Spencer said the killing was sparked by a personal dispute between Palmer and Rodgers.
Investigators learned that there had been a fight between the two. Palmer is accused of pulling a gun an shooting Rodgers several times before taking off.
It’s the second fatal shooting in the past six months. TCU student Wes Smith was killed in the same area.
The murders have business owners and patrons on edge in a district that sees between 8,000 to 10,000 people on the weekends.
Sergeant Spencer said officers recognize the killing impacts more than just those who are directly involved.
“Those who were down there that night also were victimized by this incident. People who are just out looking to enjoy a night out with their friends or family and their sense of security is shattered by a violent event,” he said.
In the wake of Smith’s murder, city officials have ramped up security in the area with increased police presence, implemented zoning changes and there’s more volunteer wanding at bars.
There are also 20 security cameras in the area.
“If there’s a gathering or altercation beginning to develop, officers monitoring that can sometimes see a problem before it escalates and get officers into the area to kind of quell that,” said Sergeant Spencer.
Fort Worth City Council said plans are also in place to pay unarmed ambassadors to help with street patrols in the area.
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