Dallas firefighters saved an unborn baby after the infant’s pregnant mother was shot to death in a domestic dispute.
When Dallas firefighters arrived on the scene of a dispute in a home near Fairpark on Sunday night, there were residents outside yelling that there had been a shooting involving two victims, according to the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department.
One of the victims, Delashon Jefferson, 21, who was eight months pregnant, sustained a gunshot wound, officials said. Another victim, Daveron Sanders, was shot, too.
“Dallas Fire-Rescue responded and transported the victims to an area hospital,” Dallas Police said in a statement.
Jefferson did not survive her injuries, officials said. But firefighters were able to rescue her unborn baby.
“The doctors saved the baby and then the victim died of her injuries,” police said in the statement.
Sanders’ condition was not immediately known.
The episode began when Jefferson was accused of infidelity by Lagarius Donnell Rainey, according to an affidavit where he admits that it became physical and that he started punching her.
Soon after, “family members forced themselves into the bedroom of the victim, attempted to stop the assault and the suspect began shooting in their direction,” the statement said.
That’s when about a dozen firefighters responded to the scene.
“There was one male victim, who had been pulled into a neighbor’s home, as well as a female victim, who was still inside the home where the shooting actually occurred,” Jason L. Evans, public information officer for the Dallas Fire-Rescue told ABC News, adding that neighbors informed the firefighters of the situation.
But they could not immediately engage because of a directive instituted last year that prevented firefighters from entering potentially dangerous scenes without police officers being present, Evans added.
“Firefighters made entry into the neighbor’s home, prior to the arrival of police, to help the male victim,” Evans said. “However, not knowing if the shooter was still in the residence where the shooting occurred, they staged outside until police arrived and cleared the house.”
Fire officials said despite the dangers before them, firefighters’ presence at the scene “truly made a difference.”
“Firefighters risk their lives on every single run,” said Jim Mcdade, president of the Dallas Fire Fighters Association told ABC News.
Rainey was ultimately arrested on Sunday and transported to the Dallas County Jail, where he is charged with murder.
He is being held on $350,000 bond.
Rainey’s lawyer, Doug Schopmeyer, did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
