Erol Hill is just 9 years old, and he has had the scare of his life at a young age.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Another family impacted by the May 1 mass shooting on Las Vegas Trail in Fort Worth is speaking out about their concerns and fears.
This time, it’s a young boy and his mother who live in the same apartment building that came under a barrage of gunfire during a drive-by.
“I thought it was fireworks, but when I heard everybody screaming,” Erol Hill said.
Erol is just 9 years old, and he has had the scare of his life at a young age. His mother shared a home security video of her son. In the video, you can see Erol in their living room on May 1 just before 7 p.m.
Suddenly, Erol had to take cover.
“Once I heard those fired bullets, I ran as fast as I could so I would not get hit, to my mom and dad’s room so I could feel safer,” said Erol.
The gunfire left bullet holes in several walls. Photographs of the damage show the projection of the bullets and how they ricocheted off the walls. In some cases, the bullets went through the drywall of their apartment, which has still not been repaired almost two weeks after the shooting.
While Erol was inside, his neighbors, mostly children, were outside when someone opened fire as they drove past the complex. Fort Worth police say six children, ages 3 to 19, suffered gunshot wounds. Paramedics arrived on the scene and found several adult neighbors rendering first aid to the victims.
Erol’s mother said she is doing everything possible to make him feel safe at home. They have lived on Las Vegas Trail for four years and she just signed another 12-month lease. But she is not sure her family wants to stay at the complex.
“My heart hurts for the children who got injured,” said Mary Jane Gonzalez, “Those shots were close. It happened as soon as he sat down. If he had stood there one second longer, he would have got hurt.”
Less than two weeks after the first shooting at their Las Vegas Trail apartment, Erol had another scare with gunfire. Fort Worth Police responded to shots fired in the same complex over the weekend where the 9-year-old visited a family friend.
“I don’t feel safe. I don’t want to live here anymore,” said Erol Hill.
“We should feel safe where we lay our head down at night, and we don’t,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said she and her family can’t afford to pack up and move. They started a GoFundMe hoping to raise enough to pay for a new place to call home.
Although they’re thankful to have each other this Mother’s Day, they hope to feel safe again one day at home. Fort Worth police are still investigating the shooting that left the six children injured. Detectives would like to hear from anyone who has information about the shooting.