One person is in custody, accused of gunning down a TCU student in Fort Worth’s popular West 7th entertainment district overnight Thursday.
Fort Worth Police said officers patrolling an area near the 3000 block of Bledsoe Street reported hearing several gunshots. Officers soon located an injured man with apparent gunshot wounds to his upper body.
Police said the victim was transported to an area hospital where he later died.
Detectives investigating the homicide said the man was shot as he stood in the street and that the shooter assaulted a woman as he ran away. The suspect was taken into custody a short time later and was identified early Friday afternoon by police as 21-year-old Matthew Purdy.
Police have not yet said what charges the accused gunman will face and they have not yet revealed any motive for the shooting.
In a letter sent to faculty, students and staff, and shared with NBC 5 Friday morning, TCU Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Kathy Cavins-Tull said the victim was identified as Wes Smith, a finance junior and member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.
“The grief in our community is great today,” Cavins-Tull wrote. “We are working directly with Wes’ closest friends and classmates. As soon as we have more information, I will send a more formal announcement with ways to gather in support of each other and in honor of Wes.”
TCU said mental health counseling and other resources for students, faculty and staff are available at Jarvis Hall with no appointment necessary. Carr Chapel is also open and staffed with a chaplain.
