4-year-old boy shot in the head, killed at Arlington apartment complex, police say
A 4-year-old child who died at a local hospital was shot at an Arlington apartment complex early Friday, Arlington police said.
Detectives are trying to determine a motive for the New Year’s Day shooting, and persons of interest have been detained.
The boy was identified as Messiah Taplin of Corsicana, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office website on Friday. Messiah died at 1:15 a.m from a gunshot wound to his head and a ruling on his death is pending.
Arlington police responded to a shooting call shortly after 12:30 a.m. in the 700 block of Washington Drive at an apartment complex.
A caller reported that gunshots were heard in the complex.
When they arrived, Arlington police found a blood trail near an unlocked apartment. Officers went inside and discovered a crime scene. No one was inside of the apartment at that time.
A witness later reported that while officers were at the Arlington complex a vehicle drove into a parking lot, matching the description of a vehicle that left shortly after the shooting.
Arlington detectives were later notified by Grand Prairie police that the 4-year-old boy was taken to a hospital in their city and died from an apparent gunshot wound.
Investigators believe the child was shot at the Arlington complex on Washington Drive and they are working to determine exactly what happened.
Anyone with information should call Arlington Detective Charles Cisneros at 817-575-3169. Residents could also leave a tip at Tarrant County Crime Stoppers at 817-469-8477.
This story was originally published January 1, 2021 at 5:48 AM.
