DALLAS – Law enforcement authorities in Dallas identified the gunman who opened fire at the Texas State Fair on Saturday Night, injuring three and forcing officials to evacuate of the fairgrounds.
Cameron Turner, 22, was identified as the suspect who opened fire about 8 p.m. near the food court at the fair. He fled the scene but was later taken into custody. Authorities also recovered a weapon, according to the Dallas Police Department.
Two men and a woman were wounded during the shooting. They are expected to survive their injuries. Turner has since been charged with aggravated assault.
Jessica Mettlen was working as a food vendor at the time, FOX 4 in Dallas, reported.
“All of a sudden there were four gunshots. It was pow, pow, pow, pow. Then there was about a minute delay and then there was another gunshot. People fled,” she said. “People were jumping over my counters. I was pulling people to safety. I was pulling people behind the counters.”
Dallas Councilman Adam Bazaldua said the shooting was “sparked from a conflict between two people who knew each other.”
At least one of the shooting victim’s was not involved with the parties in dispute, FOX reported.
Much to the dismay of fairgoers, the grounds did not reopen until 1:45 p.m. on Sunday.
Although Texas is an open carry state, security established at the fairgrounds only allow individuals with a firearm’s license to enter the area with a concealed weapon.
“We don’t allow weapons in the State Fair of Texas,” Karissa Condoianis, the senior vice president of public relations for the State Fair of Texas told FOX 4. “However, we understand that Texans have the right to carry their weapons. So, we have a middle ground where those that have a license to carry are allowed to come in with a concealed weapon.”
It was unclear if Turner was a license holder or how he got the weapon into the fairgrounds.
