Dallas police say 66-year-old Victor Burnett was arrested after a shotgun was fired inside a vacant, newly built house on Godfrey Avenue in the Pleasant Grove neighborhood, leaving a 14-year-old boy hospitalized; a witness photo, a flock camera and RING footage helped officers trace a green Dodge pickup to Jim Miller Road where Burnett was taken into custody, and Robbie Hale Homes confirmed the property was under construction.
The shooting happened around 7 pm on a Tuesday evening when two teenagers were inside the unfinished house. Police report one of the boys was struck by a shotgun pellet and ran roughly a quarter mile bleeding back to his family’s home, prompting a frantic 911 call and a rush to a children’s hospital. The other teen escaped without injury and later spoke with detectives.
Officers say a witness saw a man with a shotgun get into a green Dodge pickup parked on the grass and snapped a photo of the license plate before the truck left, a move investigators credit with moving the investigation forward. A flock camera picked up that vehicle several miles away, and officers followed leads to Jim Miller Road where they detained Victor Burnett. The truck search reportedly produced a shotgun and a pistol that detectives say was stolen.
Burnett, who is 66, was booked on multiple aggravated assault counts and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, authorities said. Detectives noted Burnett has a lengthy arrest history in Dallas County and a prior conviction for sexual assault, which legally prohibits him from possessing firearms. Prosecutors will review the evidence and the arrest affidavit as they determine formal charges.
Investigators described the vacant house as damaged, with broken windows and at least one police bullet marker noted at the scene. Cameras around the construction site and “No Trespassing” signs were visible on the lot, but neighbors say those passive measures did not prevent the night’s violence. The house is a new build and nearby families were shaken by how quickly a routine evening turned dangerous.
Police said they recovered evidence linking the weapon to the vehicle, and they are continuing to review video and witness statements to piece together what happened inside the structure. The uninjured teen was captured on a nearby RING camera running away on the family’s front porch, footage officers are using to establish a timeline. Detectives relied on that recording combined with the license plate photo and other witness accounts to identify a suspect and make the arrest.
In his arrest affidavit, Burnett told police “juveniles were constantly breaking into vacant/unoccupied new-built homes.” That line appears in the affidavit and frames his contention that the teens were trespassing, a claim that authorities will weigh alongside physical evidence and witness testimony. Whether that statement will play a role in any legal defense remains a matter for prosecutors and the courts.
The 15-year-old who fled the scene provided a statement to police admitting they had been inside the vacant house, and investigators quoted the teen as saying “Burnett entered the home, and then they heard a gunshot.” The affidavit also records the teen saying “they together jumped out of one of the windows of the bedrooms and ran together and that is when his friend was shot,” words central to the account detectives are assembling. Those admissions are part of the evolving narrative as officials sort through video and physical evidence.
Robbie Hale Homes, the builder on the lot, confirmed the house was under construction and said Burnett was not a company employee. The builder acknowledged Burnett had at times been contracted to mow lawns or provide security, a detail authorities are checking as they determine who was authorized to be at the site. The incident underscores limits to perimeter cameras and signage when people enter a construction zone.
After the arrest Burnett was processed at police headquarters and faces serious aggravated assault allegations that could carry stiff penalties if prosecutors prove the use of deadly force and unlawful firearm possession by a convicted felon. The community around Godfrey Avenue and Pleasant Grove is dealing with immediate safety concerns, while family members of the injured teenager continue to monitor his recovery at the children’s hospital. Police are urging anyone with additional information to come forward to help fill gaps in the timeline and identify any other witnesses.
