Investigators say a second victim survived after the gunfire near Wynnewood Village.
DALLAS, Texas — Dallas police are searching for a gunman who fired more than three dozen rounds into an SUV in Central Oak Cliff, killing the 24-year-old woman driving and injuring a 21-year-old man, authorities said. The shooting happened the night of Feb. 10 near a busy shopping area.
Investigators said the shots were fired from a separate vehicle as the victims drove near the Wynnewood Village area, and the damaged SUV later crashed into another car. Detectives have not released a motive or a description of the suspect vehicle. The killing also drew renewed attention to a burst of gunfire that struck a moving vehicle on a well-traveled Oak Cliff roadway.
Officers were called about 7:45 p.m. to the 2200 block of South Zang Boulevard after reports of gunfire, police said. Detectives later determined the victims were shot while the SUV was moving. The Cadillac, riddled with bullet holes, continued into a crash with another vehicle near the shopping corridor, investigators said. Dallas Fire-Rescue took both victims to a hospital, but the driver, Kayli Lopez, died after arrival, police said. The male passenger was hospitalized and was expected to survive. Police did not identify him or explain his connection to Lopez.
Investigators said the shooter fired more than 36 rounds before fleeing, leaving a wide pattern of damage across the SUV. Detectives said they believe the gunfire came from a separate vehicle traveling near the victims. Authorities have not said whether the victims were targeted or whether the gunfire was random. Police also have not released details about where the SUV had been immediately before the shooting or whether the victims had been followed. By Thursday morning, detectives were still working to collect surveillance video from nearby businesses and along the roadway, where cameras could show a suspect vehicle moving through the area.
Lopez’s family said the killing left them with questions they cannot answer. Her husband told reporters she said she was going out to get food before the shooting, and relatives grew worried when she did not return. “When you open that door, you heard that loud laugh, and I’m never getting it back,” her brother, Omar Lopez, said in an interview. He said the family is struggling to understand who would fire into a vehicle carrying a young mother. “I’m supposed to defend them, and now I’m here. I can do nothing anymore, and she’s gone,” he said.
Relatives described Lopez as a mother with deep responsibilities at home. The family said she left behind four children, including a 7-month-old infant. Omar Lopez said she had been building a stable life in Dallas, describing her as a student who had recently married and was proud of running her own business and owning a home. He said the family has had trouble even walking into her house since her death. Police have not released additional information about her business or where she attended school, and investigators have not said whether they believe the shooting was connected to any dispute or earlier incident.
Authorities said the investigation remains open and active, with detectives continuing to review evidence from the scene. Police have not announced any arrests and have not said whether they recovered the weapon used in the shooting. The department logged the case as a homicide investigation and said it is being documented under case number 019453-2026. Police said anyone with information can contact Detective J. Romero with the Dallas Police Department. Investigators also said they expect to interview witnesses who were in the area at the time, including drivers who may have been on South Zang Boulevard as the gunfire erupted.
The shooting occurred near a stretch of Oak Cliff where traffic is heavy in the evenings and shoppers move between restaurants, stores and parking lots. Residents and workers in the area reported seeing police vehicles and investigators surrounding the damaged SUV as officers blocked off parts of the roadway. The collision with another vehicle added to the chaos, leaving investigators to sort out what happened during the seconds after the gunfire and before the crash. Police have not said whether the occupants of the other vehicle were injured, and no additional victims were announced in the initial reports.
By Friday, investigators had not released a description of the suspect vehicle and had not publicly identified the injured passenger. Police said the motive remains unclear as detectives continue gathering video and witness statements. The department said updates would be released as new information becomes available.
Author note: Last updated February 13, 2026.