MIDLOTHIAN MAN KILLED IN RANDOM SHOOTING

DESOTO – A 34-year-old Midlothian resident, Randall Thornhill, was shot and killed Saturday evening at around 9 p.m. while waiting in a white 2008 Mazda 3 at a gated property in the 300 block of Elerson Drive in DeSoto. 

A female also in the vehicle, Heather French, 29, also of Midlothian, was wounded but did not have life-threatening injuries. A five-year-old child in the back seat of the Mazda was unharmed.

DeSoto police are looking at this random shooting and have already gathered information piecing the event together.

While random shootings are not common in DeSoto, the last one occurred in January of 2020. 

According to DeSoto Police Cpl. Pete Schulte, Esq, police legal advisor, PIO of the Professional Standards Unit the shooting in January 2020 took only about two weeks to solve and was not so random at all.

Schulte said, “DeSoto Detectives are working diligently around the clock to bring the person responsible for this crime to justice. 

“Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact Detectives by calling 911 or 972-223-6111. You may remain anonymous.” 

The shooting took place at the gate of the property on South Elerson Drive as Thornhill and French were in the vehicle waiting to enter the gate at the large “ranch style” property. It was reported they were expected at the property when the shooting occurred.

Thornhill was pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital.French was treated at a local hospital as well with unnamed non-life-threatening injuries. 

The suspect remains at large, but detectives did provide a description as a young Hispanic or light-skinned black male wearing a hoodie, possibly hunter green in color. He reportedly fled the scene on foot after the shooting.