Overnight Shooting Near UT Tyler Leaves Two People Seriously Wounded

Two people are being treated for gunshot wounds after they were shot early Tuesday morning while sleeping in their car in the parking lot at the Cambridge Apartments on Old Omen Rd.

Tyler Police say the two victims involved in the shooting that occurred are identified as Kendrick Harper, 24, of Dallas, and Brandon Rainwater 24, of Cedar Hill, Texas.

The two victims stated that they were asleep in their vehicle at the rear of the complex around 3:30 a.m. this morning when the suspect opened their car door and told them to give him everything they had. The suspect fired a gun into the vehicle several times striking Rainwater in the leg and Harper in the head, shoulder and wrist.

The suspect is described as a black male wearing a black and white shirt.  There is no further information about the suspect at this time.

The University of Texas at Tyler Police Chief Mike Medders issued the following statement regarding the recent shootings:

The University of Texas at Tyler Police Department works closely with the City of Tyler Police Department. The two agencies have a written mutual aid agreement, and the agencies frequently assist each other in investigating crimes that occur on or within the immediate vicinity of campus.

The University Police Department has gate access to both Cambridge and Varsity Place Apartments. UT Tyler PD officers make routine patrols through the complexes. Although these two complexes are not owned or operated by UT Tyler, we recognize that the activity occurring within these complexes, due to being within close proximity to campus, can affect the safety of our students, staff and faculty. Therefore, as well as working with Tyler PD, the University Police also work on solutions to problems in the area with the management at both complexes.

Due to the close proximity to campus, any time a crime occurs at one of these complexes, and it is deemed by authorities that there is or could be an ongoing danger to the campus community, a timely warning notification is sent out to students, staff and faculty to make them aware of the situation. This notification is required by the federal law commonly known as the “Jeane Clery Act.”

Anyone with information about the suspect involved in this crime is urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crimestoppers at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833).  Crimestoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest and charges filed against the suspect in this case or any felony case.