SAN ANTONIO — Pain and disbelief reverberated Thursday throughout the northeast-side community where an attack killed one child and left four others with gunshot wounds the night before.
Even though Sheriff Javier Salazar said the Wednesday night incident was a targeted attack, neighbors said that, with that much lead in the air, they find little comfort in his assessment.
One woman KENS 5 spoke to who wanted to remain anonymous said she was in the home and helping the victims moments after the gunfire.
“I just don’t understand," she said. "It doesn’t make any sense to me, those babies didn’t do anything.”
She said she was on her back porch with her family when the suspect's vehicle quickly drove up along Windsor Hollow Drive. A bad feeling stirred up inside, and she grabbed her family to get them inside.
That's when they heard more than 20 gunshots.
“I just ran to help, because it could’ve been my kids. It could’ve been anyone," she said. "I just ran. I didn’t think.”
She was joined with two other neighbors, including a nurse's assistant.
“The girl from next door already had the little 4-year-old girl," she said. “I went to the kitchen, (where) there was blood all over the floor. There was blood everywhere.”
They started applying pressure to the gunshot wounds.
“I got napkins from the kitchen counter and I was putting it on the little boy for his wounds. I got napkins for the mom, (and) I elevated her legs because she says she couldn’t feel her legs."
She is now hoping investigators can track down the suspects quickly.
“Everybody involved deserves everything they get to them," she said. "I don’t care who it is."
Another neighbor KENS 5 spoke to said the area is normally peaceful, adding the children who were shot were outside playing just before the shots rang out.
"First (there were) five or six loud pop, pop, pop, pop, pop! And then, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop! I looked over at my son and he looked at me, and I was like, 'What was that?'," said Joanne Lewis. "That has destroyed the peace of this neighborhood, right there."
A renewed effort for safety
Community members who care about safety said it was a day to consider what more can be done to curb violence.
Adrienne House, with the nonprofit group San Antonio Fighting Back, is fighting mad about the impact of gun violence on children.
“When they start getting involved and getting hurt or getting killed, that’s when the community has to step in, stop and say, 'Enough is enough,'" House said. “Grown-ups can do what they want, but it’s the children who make me want to speak out.”
The attack happened in Precinct 4, represented by County Commissioner Tommy Calvert. He says by the time bullets are flying, it’s too late.
“We asked for $900,000 for community violence intervention and it was denied by the court,” Calvert said.
Calvert said he will keep trying to get funding for front-end solutions.
“You’ve got to have someone in the community who can be trusted to calm the waters and get ahead of these crimes before they start,” he said.
Wesley Westbrooks, a grandparent who lives nearby, drove by the scene to see the damage for himself.
“To tell you the truth, we fight a lot for goodness around here,” Westbrooks said, adding his family has been involved in school and youth groups because being connected is vital.
Westbrooks said he wishes more parents and grandparents were involved in programs to keep kids safe.
“We’ll do our part out here and hopefully we will get a break,” Westbrooks said.
San Antonio Fighting Back is gearing up its summer programs that help keep kids safe, but they need community support.
House said the program helps give young people a voice.
"In our summer program we have watched our youth grow, and a lot of the youth that started with this program have gone on to college and become voices for their community," she said. "We want to give the children an opportunity to be heard, because nobody is listening to the children."
Speaking up, House said, is lifesaving work.
"Too many children are losing their lives, too many. So we are here to stand up for the voiceless."
To help sponsor snacks, participation gift cards or to help, the number to call is (210) 271-7232. House can be reached at ahouse@mysafb.org.