DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) – Three people are injured and one person is in custody after a shooting at the State Fair of Texas Saturday night.
Dallas police said the people who were shot are in the hospital and listed in stable, non-life-threatening condition.
Reports of an active shooter in the food court came in at 7:45 p.m., prompting the Fair to be evacuated.
Details were limited as the situation remained active; however, police said the suspect was shooting at another man and shortly after 8 p.m. that the suspect was in custody after fleeing the area. Police recovered the gun.
According to Dallas City Council member Adam R. Bazaldua, the City Manager, T.C. Broadnax said the shooting sparked from a conflict between two people who knew each other.
“It’s one thing to have a right to bear arms, it’s another to have legislation, like permit-less carry, that makes it easier for senseless acts of gun violence like this to be carried out in our state,” Bazaldua said via social media. “I wish our Republican friends in Austin would pass meaningful gun legislation to help our constituents feel safe in public.”
The State Fair also issued an Emergency Order alerting to the evacuation.
DART Rail says passengers may experience delays after the incident at the State Fair. Additional trains were added, shuttle buses were also available and DART says personnel was in the area to assist.
In late September, Fair officials announced new safety measures at the fair this year that included every fair-goer having to walk through a weapons detection system and bag searches.
DPD referred CBS News Texas to Fair officials when asked if guns are allowed inside the State Fair of Texas.
The State Fair of Texas’ weapons policy states that “no weapons of any kind are permitted on the fairgrounds. This includes firearms, knives, clubs, tasers, chemical dispensing device etc. Also, all sharp metal objects, such as pocket knives, scissors, and other sharp implements, are strictly prohibited.”
As for firearms, the State Fair does not allow unlicensed gun owners to enter the fairgrounds with a firearm; however, “the Fair has long allowed Fair attendees with valid handgun licenses to carry their handguns in a concealed manner while attending the Fair (except for locations prohibited by law).”
The Fair doesn’t allow open-carry, according to its policy.
“We know that this is an important issue for many Texans,” the policy states, “and that the Fair’s decision may disappoint potential fairgoers who regularly and responsibly practice open carry. However, the Fair strongly believes that allowing concealed carry and prohibiting open carry is a reasonable compromise that best ensures the safety and comfort of all Fair attendees.”
It is currently unknown if the Fair will reopen or remain closed on Sunday.
DPD has not released the identities of the suspect or victims yet.
Two random acts of violence in the Fair Park area left two people dead in the days before the fair opened.
