Two Deadly Shootings on Dallas DART Train in a Week

A shooting on Sunday left one person dead on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) train, marking the second deadly incident on the system in a week. The incident occurred near the Pearl/Arts District Station on Bryan Street around 7 p.m., according to FOX 4.

DART police responded after a caller reported an active shooter at the station, the outlet reported. One person was found dead from a gunshot wound on the train.

Details surrounding the incident are limited, but FOX 4 reported a suspect is in custody.

These incidents have raised concerns about safety on the DART system, prompting DART Police Chief Charles Cato to emphasize the importance of rider safety.

The deadly shooting comes less than a week after a man was killed on the DART train last Monday. DART police responded to the Market Center Station on Harry Hines Boulevard at around 10:15 p.m., FOX 4 reported on Wednesday.

Daniel Tom Gormley, 53, was found inside a train car with multiple gunshot wounds to his chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene after first responders attempted life-saving measures.

Gormley was a Marine veteran, according to a GoFundMe page aimed at helping the family pay for funeral costs.

“He was a victim of a senseless act of violence while aboard a train in Dallas, Texas, and was taken from us far too soon,” the fundraiser reads. “Our family is heartbroken and completely unprepared for the financial burden of planning a funeral and managing the associated costs. We are reaching out to our community for support during this devastating time.”

A DART rail operator reported to police that Gormley told the suspect to get off the train before the suspect fired a gun three times, according to FOX 4. It’s unclear what led to the exchange.

Gormley’s accused killer was identified as Christopher Clemson Akins and was taken into custody quickly, police said.

DART Police Chief Charles Cato said last Wednesday that such incidents are “extremely rare” and “taken very seriously.”

“DART Police remain deeply committed to the safety of our riders, employees, and the communities we serve,” Cato said, via FOX 4.

DART is a transit agency serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, offering multiple travel options: Light Rail, Trinity Railway Express commuter rail, bus routes, GoLink on-demand services and paratransit services.