Arlington police make arrest in shooting that killed teen at Hurricane Harbor water park
Arlington police made an arrest overnight in the Wednesday killing of a 16-year-old boy at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor with help from the U.S. Marshals Service, according to a Friday news release.
Police said they arrested 18-year old Cameron Lavon Stephens, who faces a charge of murder in the killing of Dai’trell Teal, without incident. He is being held in the Arlington jail.
He was apprehended outside a Dallas convenience store in the 2700 block of Harverwood Lane near the North Dallas Tollway.
Police said in an arrest warrant affidavit for Stephens the fight that preceded the shooting occurred after a man approached a group of friends in the parking lot of the water park, asking them if they “got beef with 2100 or Famous John.” Police say he appeared to be referring to a gang.
One witness cited in the affidavit told the man, who police believe to be Stephens, that the group didn’t know what he was talking about and didn’t have “any beef with anyone.” Police don’t think the victim or his friends knew the suspect.
After the fight broke out, the affidavit says, Stephens ran back to his car and began shooting. One man nearby saw the shooting and grabbed his wife, throwing her to the ground and attempting to shield her from gunshots, police said in the affidavit.
Police interviewed Teal’s family at the hospital when a social media message from an unknown user led detectives to the profile of Stephens, according to the affidavit. Police said in the affidavit they used a drivers license photo of Stephens and photos of five other people who looked similar to create a lineup. The witness who shielded his wife identified Stephens from that image, according to the affidavit.
After the initial lineup identification, police asked another witness, who also identified Stephens from that lineup.
Teal, known to his family and friends as Daidai died at Arlington Memorial Hospital about a half hour after he was shot outside Hurricane Harbor, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office said. He was killed by a wound in his back, authorities said.
Teal was shot during the fight near the entrance as the water park closed for the day, police have said. The shooting occurred about 7 p.m. in the lot in the 1800 block of East Lamar Boulevard. Police detained and interviewed other teens believed to have been involved in the fight before they identified Stephens as the suspect.
Teal attended Martin High School and was to be in 11th grade next school year, an Arlington Independent School District spokeswoman said.
A guest at Hurricane Harbor, Beccy Riley said she knew something was going on when she walked out of the park Wednesday night, but she did not know what. She did not hear gunshots but could see a lot of activity in the parking lot. The sun was in her eyes, so she didn’t clearly see people giving the teen CPR as he lay on a raised plant bed in the parking lot until she and her 7-year-old son were close. She focused on making sure her son did not see anything.
She did not know what happened exactly until she overheard another woman walking out say she couldn’t believe she was present at both that shooting and another shooting at Six Flags Over Texas that happened in March.
“I didn’t want my son to be traumatized so I made sure he was occupied, but I also wanted to make sure I wasn’t traumatized so I was doing my best to be aware but not look at anything,” Riley said.
Riley said she and her family moved to Texas from Essex, England, about four years ago and this is the first time she has witnessed something like this. But it won’t keep her from going back.
“Of course you’ve got to be careful not to put yourself in danger, but you have to keep living your life,” Riley said. “I feel safe going in because of all the security you have to go through. I don’t think It’s more or less safe than anywhere else, really.”
This story was originally published June 25, 2021 at 7:42 AM.