DALLAS — Police said a business deal gone bad was the apparent reason behind the shooting of a father and son at a North Dallas high-rise Monday morning.
A man opened fire, shooting the men, after walking into Suite 310 on the third floor of the Four Forest building at 12222 Merit Drive near Central Expressway and Coit Road, authorities said. An investment firm named Smith Financial Group, Inc. is listed inside the suite, according to the Dallas Central Appraisal District.
A person who made an initial call from inside the building to 911 hung up before information could be exchanged. A second call was made from someone who said an active shooter was inside the Four Forest building. According to sources, that second call was made by one of the victims, who was shot in the neck.
When officers arrived at the scene, the shooter was still inside the building. Police said the man pointed his weapon at officers, and they fired back. However, he allegedly turned the gun on himself, shooting himself in the head.
"I am standing at the security desk with the other security guards and we sat [the victim] down," said one witness. "We didn't know he had been shot until we saw he had a hole or a stab wound ... like he had been shot in the neck. He was in shock, like we all were, and he said his dad had been killed, too. I thought he meant in the past, but he had actually been shot by the shooter."
Authorities said the father did survive and was talking to police. Both the father and son were taken to Medical City Dallas and are in stable conditon. The shooter was taken to that same hospital and is listed in critical condition.
In the midst of the shootings, bank employees at the United Texas Bank, located inside the building, locked themselves in a vault after hearing gun fire.
All offices inside the 19-story building remained in lockdown as authorities interviewed witnesses.
