OfferUp meetup ends in gunfire on Friday night in Haltom City, according to police
Police are urging residents to be safe when buying and selling items online after an OfferUp transaction in Haltom City ended in gunfire Friday night.
At approximately 11:30 p.m. Friday, a Dallas resident drove to the 5600 block of Coventry Park Drive in Haltom City to purchase expensive jeans listed on an OfferUp ad, according to a Haltom City police press release.
The victim was initially suspicious of the transaction because of the late meetup but decided to proceed anyway. As the seller approached the victim’s vehicle, they realized the jeans were not as described and that the sale was not going as planned. The victim decided to drive off, and the seller pulled out a pistol and began shooting, the release said.
The victim’s vehicle was struck multiple times, and one of the rounds made it through the vehicle and bruised the victim.
“We want to remind everyone that buying and selling online has potential and sometimes significant risks,” the department said in the release. “Take precautions to ensure your safety and pay attention to clues that the seller or buyer may have other intentions.”
Here are some online buying and selling safety tips from OfferUp:
- Never share confidential information with another person.
- Don’t share your phone number. Chat through the app.
- Research the person, product and place.
- Check out the other person’s profile. What do others say about them?
- Look at the item photos. Do they give you enough detail?
- Pick a safe place during a busy time of day.
- Always buy and sell in well-lit, monitored, public locations such as cafes or grocery stores.
This story was originally published February 19, 2022 at 6:01 PM.
