FORT WORTH, Texas — A Fort Worth mother pleaded for mercy when her son got into a heated argument that quickly escalated to gunfire.
The shooting happened Tuesday afternoon in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant around 3:30 p.m. in East Fort Worth.
"Murdered, cold blood, shot dead, by the time we got to the hospital he was dead," said Ebony Avery.
Ebony Avery and her family can't believe someone murdered her 21-year-old nephew. Especially since he just got out of the hospital. On top of that Demarreon Barnett's aunt just buried her 22-year-old son who passed away recently from Sickle Cell complications.
"We went back home and buried my son on January 27th. Now we got to bury my nephew. We are hurt. We are in disbelief," said Avery.
They are in disbelief because it happened when Barnett and his mother were outside Los Aibertos restaurant on Bridge Street. Fort Worth Police say her nephew got into an argument with three people. One of them started shooting as Demarreon's mother tried to intervene.
"She begged the guy. She said stop shooting. She said, don't shoot him. He is sick. Don't shoot, don't shoot. She told him not to shoot and the guy shot him again," said Avery.
Restaurant employee Ysela Coronado and her coworkers heard the gunfire outside. They took immediate action to make sure the employees and customers were safe.
"We got so scared. We just locked the doors and hid, We just called the police and told them what happened," said Coronado, "We have never had anything like this happen before."
Barnett was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Avery told WFAA that the 21-year-old's mother tried desperately to stop the bleeding from her son's gunshot wounds.
"He didn't deserve this. Justice needs to be served," said Avery.
FWPD says the investigation is ongoing as they are pursuing several leads in the case.
Anyone with video or other information about this incident to call the non-emergency line at 817-392-4222. Tipsters can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers of Tarrant County at (817) 469-8477.