The family of a 16-year-old boy gunned down near Arcadia Park wants to know why the teen's killer hasn't been identified and arrested after more than a month.
"I am in agony because, for me, it would be comforting to know that they had caught the individual," the teen's grandmother, Natividad Rodriguez, said in Spanish.
Homero Escobar Jr. was shot at 12:20 p.m. July 23 on the 5400 block of North Arcardia Drive
His family says he was on his way to the store.
Witnesses told Dallas police they saw two males flee the scene in a tan-colored sedan.
Six teens were killed in Dallas between the beginning of June and Aug. 19, according to police. The youngest was 14.
Norma Rodriguez, Escobar's aunt, said crosses surround Arcadia Park, marking where someone has been killed.
The crosses reflect the violence and safety concerns in the neighborhood, she said.
Escobar's grandmother said it's possible the shooter was also a teenager, but she still hopes the person is caught.
"But he committed a crime," the woman said in Spanish.
Escobar Jr. wanted to be able to provide for his grandparents, his family said.
The family refutes claims the teen was involved in a gang.
Natividad Rodriguez has raised her grandson since he was a toddler. She told WFAA he was a good kid who didn’t have many friends and enjoyed working.
The teen had recently been hired by McDonald’s and was attending Dallas Can Academy.
Norma Rodriguez smiles as she remembers her nephew selling fruit to make money.
Escobar's catechism teacher, Janet Martinez, said the teen reminds her of many others in the neighborhood.
“He was trying to navigate life," Martinez said. "He was trying to do the best he could with the resources he had and neighborhood where he lived."
Martinez is a cofounder of Professional Opportunity Connection for All, which mentors youth.
“These tragic events can be prevented if we work closely with our youth and we teach them there are other ways to solve problems,” she said.
The family plans to have a mass for Escobar Jr. at 5 p.m. Friday at Santa Clara Catholic Church in Dallas.
