MESQUITE, Texas — A mother’s cry for justice rang out across Mesquite on Tuesday as family, friends, and neighbors mourned Kemarius Mack, 23, who was gunned down outside an apartment complex on Franklin Drive while reportedly trying to break up a dispute.
A Courageous Act Turned Tragic
Witnesses say Mack stepped between two arguing women shortly after 10 p.m. Monday in an effort to calm tensions. Moments later, shots rang out. Mack was struck and collapsed in the parking lot. Paramedics rushed the young man to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
“He was just trying to help,” said Brandi Mack‑Gross, clutching her son’s framed photograph as she addressed reporters. “Kemarius didn’t go looking for trouble. He was trying to stop it.”
A Promising Life Cut Short
Loved ones remember Mack as a protective, loyal friend with an easy smile and a willingness to stand up for others. Recently employed in a warehouse job while saving for trade school, Mack had talked about starting a small business to support his family.
“Losing him feels like losing the light in the room,” said longtime friend Derrick Thompson, who attended a candlelight vigil near the scene Tuesday night. Dozens stood shoulder‑to‑shoulder, lighting candles and releasing blue balloons into the night sky. Many wore T‑shirts emblazoned with Mack’s likeness and the hashtag #JusticeForKemarius.
Frustration and Fear
Despite multiple eyewitnesses and 9‑1‑1 calls, Mesquite police have yet to announce a suspect or motive. The lack of rapid progress has left residents anxious and the Mack family distraught.
“If you know something, say something,” pleaded Brandi, her voice breaking. “No mother should bury her child for trying to do the right thing.”
Community leaders echoed that frustration, calling for greater transparency and quicker action. “We cannot allow good Samaritans to become victims with no accountability,” said Pastor Earl Jackson, who has organized neighborhood safety forums in the wake of rising gun violence.
The Investigation
Detectives confirm an “active, ongoing investigation,” but have released few details beyond confirming that the shooter fled before officers arrived. Authorities urge anyone with information, cell‑phone video, or security footage from nearby complexes to contact the Mesquite Police Department or Crime Stoppers.
A Mother’s Mission
Until an arrest is made, Brandi Mack‑Gross says her fight will not pause. She plans to meet with city officials and violence‑prevention advocates to address safety gaps and support witness outreach. “Kemarius died being brave,” she said. “The least we can do is be brave enough to speak up for him.”
As candles flickered in the warm Texas night, a community vowed to keep that promise—refusing to let Kemarius Mack’s final act of courage fade into silence, and demanding the justice that his life, and his sacrifice, so clearly deserve.