Dallas police arrested 66-year-old Victor Burnett after a shooting that left a 14-year-old boy hospitalized following an incident at a vacant home in Pleasant Grove on Godfrey Avenue. The injured teen ran bleeding back to his family’s house and was rushed to a children’s hospital, while a second teen who escaped unharmed was captured on RING video. Witness photos, a license plate, and a flock camera helped officers track a green Dodge pickup to Jim Miller Road, where Burnett was taken into custody.
The shooting unfolded Tuesday evening around 7 pm inside a vacant, newly built house in the Pleasant Grove area of Dallas. Police say two teens were inside the structure when a gun was fired and one boy was hit by a shotgun round. That 14-year-old ran about a quarter mile to his home and his family called 911 in a panic to get him medical help.
Authorities arrested Victor Burnett and booked him on multiple aggravated assault counts plus unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Burnett has a long arrest history in Dallas County, and detectives say a quick check of his record showed a prior conviction for sexual assault, a fact that legally bars him from possessing firearms. Officers say the search of his truck turned up a shotgun and a stolen pistol.
Neighbors and investigators describe the vacant house as clearly damaged, with broken windows and at least one bullet marker noted by police when they checked the property. Cameras mounted around the construction site and signs stating No Trespassing were visible near the lot. The house is a new build in the area, and the scene left families shaken by how quickly a routine night turned violent.
A witness told police they saw Burnett with a shotgun getting into a green Dodge pickup truck parked in the grass field outside the site. That same witness snapped a photo of the license plate before the truck drove off, an action detectives say was crucial to solving the case. A flock camera flagged the vehicle a few miles away and led officers to Jim Miller Road, where Burnett was taken into custody.
Police recovered evidence tying the weapon to the vehicle, and investigators continue to review video and witness statements to reconstruct exactly how the confrontation began. The 15-year-old friend who escaped without injury was seen on the family’s front porch running away in footage from a nearby RING camera. Officers are using that footage along with the witness photo to build the timeline of events inside the vacant home.
In his arrest affidavit, Burnett told police “juveniles were constantly breaking into vacant/unoccupied new-built homes.” That statement is part of what Burnett reportedly told detectives after his arrest, and it frames his claim that the teens were trespassing. Whether that claim will factor into his legal defense is something authorities and prosecutors will sort out as the case moves forward.
The uninjured 15-year-old gave a statement to police admitting they were inside the vacant house. According to investigators, that teen said “Burnett entered the home, and then they heard a gunshot.” The same account includes the line “they together jumped out of one of the windows of the bedrooms and ran together and that is when his friend was shot.” Those words are in the arrest affidavit and are central to the case narrative police are compiling.
Robbie Hale Homes, the builder on the site, confirmed the property was under construction and that Burnett was not an employee of the company. The builder did say Burnett had been contracted at times to mow lawns or provide security, a detail that raises questions about who was authorized to be at the development. Cameras and signage were in place, but the incident highlights the limits of passive measures when people target vacant structures.
After Burnett’s arrest, officers brought him to police headquarters for processing and questioning. The aggravated assault charges could carry severe penalties if prosecutors prove the use of deadly force and unlawful possession by a convicted felon. Detectives say they will continue to collect and analyze physical evidence, surveillance video, and witness interviews before presenting the case to the district attorney.
The community in Pleasant Grove is grappling with the reality that vacant, newly built homes can become sites of danger if left unsecured. Residents who live near Godfrey Avenue said they worry about kids roaming construction zones and about the presence of armed individuals. City safety officials and neighbors now face pressure to find better ways to protect both properties and people, especially young people who may not appreciate the risks of entering a building under construction.
Family members of the injured boy continue to monitor his condition at the children’s hospital, while neighbors talk about changes they want to see in local enforcement of trespassing and construction-site security. Police stress the importance of tipsters and witnesses, pointing to the license plate photo that helped lead them to Burnett. That cooperation made the difference in quickly arresting a suspect after a chaotic evening that could have been far worse.
Investigators remain focused on assembling the full picture of what happened inside the vacant house and why a shotgun was fired. They are expected to interview more witnesses, process any additional camera footage, and work with prosecutors to determine the precise charges beyond the initial arrests. For now, Burnett faces serious accusations while the recovery of the injured teen continues at the hospital.
As the legal process proceeds, community leaders and construction companies may revisit how sites like the one on Godfrey Avenue are monitored and secured. The mix of new development and neighborhood activity in Pleasant Grove creates opportunities but also vulnerabilities that need attention. Police encourage anyone with more information to come forward and help clarify the events that night.
