Dallas 7-Eleven shooting victim loses eye, crushing chances to join the Navy

DALLAS – A younger man says his hopes to affix the U.S. Navy are over after Dallas police say a gunman mistook him for another person at a comfort retailer and shot him within the face.

18-year-old Gayle Jones misplaced his left eye within the capturing final month at a 7-Eleven retailer in Downtown Dallas. He additionally misplaced a really shut good friend who died within the assault.

The capturing was a surprising second of violence at a location that is turn out to be a haven for drug offers and crime.

A information request led us to uncover that the 7-Eleven off Ross Avenue in Downtown Dallas is averaging nearly two calls to 911 every day. 

Gayle Jones and his pals, 17-year-old Omarian Frazier, have been contained in the 7-Eleven after simply wrapping up work at a non-profit when Dallas police say 24-year-old Donald Moore walked in and commenced capturing.

“First place he shot me was my eye,” Jones recalled. “I didn’t see him in any respect or nothing. However once I fell on the bottom, he stood over me and shot me in my knee, he shot me underneath right here.”

Jones survived, however Frazier didn’t.

“He shot him within the head,” he mentioned. “He obtained hit proper right here, and the remaining was physique photographs.”

Based on an arrest affidavit, Moore was assaulted by two individuals exterior the 7-Eleven two days earlier than the capturing. 

An unidentified witness instructed a detective that Moore was “looking for to kill these two people who beat him up.” A detective watched surveillance footage of the assault and says the 2 attackers look much like Frazier and Jones however weren’t them.

Jones misplaced his left eye. The bullet went out his left ear.

“I didn’t even assume my eye was gone,” he recalled. “As a result of once I went to the hospital, I used to be asking, ‘Mother, I’ve obtained my eye, proper?’ And he or she instructed me, she was like, ‘no.’”

Jones’ life won’t ever be the identical.

“And I used to be planning to go to the Navy, however I can’t now,” he mentioned. “That was my dream: to go to the Navy. Now, I obtained a unique dream now: to inform my story to everyone, the entire world to allow them to perceive being within the streets as a youngster shouldn’t be it for everyone.”

Jones admits he typically frolicked at that 7-Eleven, which is a sizzling spot for crime. 

“Medicine. Individuals promoting weed. That’s what goes down over there,” he mentioned.

A FOX 4 information request to Dallas police uncovered in 2022, there have been 402 calls to 911 concerning incidents at that 7-Eleven. 

This 12 months as of April 17, there had already been 223 calls to 911. 

Jones says he and Frazier have been one of the best of pals. They even greeted one another as so.

“We each gave one another a hug, and we kissed one another on the brow,” he mentioned.

And regardless that Frazier is gone, Jones believes they nonetheless talk.

“Ten minutes earlier than y’all got here, I cried as a result of he was speaking to me. I broke down,” he mentioned. “He was saying simply maintain your head up, and I’m completely satisfied. I’m completely satisfied that you just made it and also you fought in your life in that hospital.”

Jones says he feels lucky to be alive right now. 

“It’s a blessing,” he mentioned. “By the blessing of God.”

FOX 4 reached out to Dallas Metropolis Councilman Paul Ridley’s workplace to see if he want to touch upon crime on the 7-Eleven that’s in his district. We didn’t get a response after we reached out final week.

FOX 4 reached out to Ridley once more this week, however we have been instructed he want to “politely decline an interview.”