Fort Worth Star-Telegram week in review

By This digest was produced using AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division.

April 30, 2026 4:13 PM

A tree was uprooted in Nadine Taliaferro’s yard in Springtown, Texas, during severe weather on Saturday night, April 25, 2026. Harrison Mantas hmantas@star-telegram.com

Two tornadoes kill 2, displace families in North Texas

Two tornadoes struck North Texas on April 25, killing two people and displacing dozens of families. The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-2 tornado with peak winds of 135 mph touched down in Runaway Bay, Wise County, killing one person, injuring six, and displacing more than 25 families. A second EF-1 tornado near Springtown in Parker County had winds up to 105 mph. A 69-year-old woman died at a severely damaged mobile home on Hutcheson Hill Road, struck by downdraft winds from the same supercell. Springtown ISD closed schools April 27. Wise County Judge J.D. Clark issued a disaster declaration and urged residents with damage to complete the iSTAT survey at damage.tdem.texas.gov.

Reported by Harrison Mantas, Amy McDaniel, published April 26

Suspect held after civilian officer shot in Fort Worth

A civilian Fort Worth police employee was shot in the left eye by shrapnel while responding to a burglary report near Basswood Boulevard and North Riverside Drive, authorities say. The employee, part of the unarmed Civilian Response Unit, radioed for backup after suspect Angel Cantu, 39, allegedly opened fire with a rifle from across the street around 11:40 a.m. Officers exchanged gunfire with Cantu before he ran away. A manhunt prompted lockdowns at four Keller ISD schools and a neighborhood shelter-in-place order. Cantu was arrested around 5:40 p.m. after emerging from a wooded area near Riverside and Brittany Place. He faces three counts of aggravated assault against a public servant and a parole violation charge, per Tarrant County Jail records. The injured employee is expected to recover, with Police Chief Eddie Garcia saying, “by the grace of God, with prayers, he’ll be OK.”

Reported by Lillie Davidson, published April 28

BJ’s Wholesale Club set to open in south Fort Worth

BJ’s Wholesale Club is preparing to open its newest location at 7241 Harris Parkway in south Fort Worth, off Chisholm Trail Parkway at Altamesa Boulevard. The Massachusetts-based retailer, which competes with Costco and Sam’s Club, has 264 clubs and is expanding into Texas with four stores opening this spring, including locations in Waxahachie, Forney, and Grand Prairie. The 100,000-square-foot warehouse offers produce, appliances, apparel, furniture, an optical department, a snack shop, deli, and travel services. Memberships at the Fort Worth location are $20 for the first year, compared to the typical $60. On April 29, BJ’s is offering gas at $2 a gallon for members, from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a 30-gallon limit. The chain aims to reach 100 employees before the opening and plans 25 to 30 new clubs by 2027.

Reported by Tanya Babbar, published April 24

Sex offender coached homeschool team, had Carroll ISD ties

A registered sex offender was coaching a homeschool baseball team and held ties to Carroll ISD, raising serious safety concerns. Tommy Whiteman, a former Houston Astros draft pick, served as head baseball coach for the Texas Home Educators Sports Association’s Fort Worth location and operated Redemptive Sports, an indoor facility in Keller. Whiteman is listed on the Texas sex offender registry until 2030 for online solicitation of a minor. Carroll ISD confirmed he was approved as an off-campus physical activities provider and worked with one student in 2022-23. The district says it is now reviewing its approval processes. Waivers sent to THESA parents included Whiteman’s personal testimony but did not explicitly disclose his sex offender status, according to watchkeep.com. THESA later announced Whiteman resigned due to “operational challenges” without referencing his registry status. Texas law prohibits registered sex offenders from coaching or mentoring children.

Reported by Charles Baggarly, published April 25

Benadryl challenge hospitalizes dozens of Fort Worth kids

A resurgent social media trend is sending children to the emergency room at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth. The so-called Benadryl Challenge encourages kids to intentionally overdose on the over-the-counter allergy drug diphenhydramine to induce hallucinations. One child has died and more than 100 patients visited the Cook Children’s emergency room for Benadryl overdoses in just six months, according to the health system. Dr. Stephanie Felton, associate medical director for the emergency department, said overdoses can cause elevated heart rate, arrhythmia, and kidney dysfunction. The trend first emerged in 2020, prompting an FDA warning that high doses can cause seizures, coma, or death. Felton urged parents to monitor medications at home and maintain open, ongoing conversations with their children about social media influences.

Reported by Ciara McCarthy, published April 28

Aledo ISD delays plans for a second high school

Aledo ISD no longer needs a second high school in the near future, after years of rapid enrollment growth that once made expansion seem inevitable. The district grew by more than 1,700 students between 2018-19 and 2022-23, driven by residential development in Parker County west of Fort Worth. However, enrollment has since slowed, with just under 270 students added between 2023-24 and 2024-25. A 53-member citizen-led Aledo Growth Committee spent eight months developing conceptual designs for a potential second high school and a college and career academy, both on district-owned land. The designs, created by architecture firm Huckabee, are ready for when growth resumes. Construction projects from a 2023 bond package, including a high school renovation and new elementary school, have already been completed.