Police said a dispute at a large early-morning gathering escalated into a fight before two men exchanged gunfire.
FORT WORTH, TX — Two men were killed and two others were wounded early Sunday after a confrontation at a large backyard gathering in southeast Fort Worth escalated into an exchange of gunfire, police said.
Fort Worth police responded at about 3:32 a.m. Sept. 20 to a home in the 4300 block of Martin Street, near Miller Avenue. Investigators said a large group had gathered in the backyard before a dispute involving a man and a woman led to a confrontation between two men. Four adult men were struck by gunfire. Two died at the scene, while two others were taken to hospitals.
Officer Brad Perez of the Fort Worth Police Department said investigators believe the incident began when a man and woman who knew each other became involved in an altercation during a celebration. The man was asked to leave and initially did so, Perez said. Police said he later returned to the gathering, where another man confronted him.
The two men then became involved in a physical fight, according to police. Perez said a firearm was produced and shots were fired. A second gun was also produced as the confrontation continued. Police said both men exchanged gunfire, although investigators have described the account as preliminary and subject to change as they interview witnesses and review evidence.
Four men were wounded during the shooting. Fort Worth Fire Department personnel provided medical treatment, but two of the men were pronounced dead at the scene. Police said one of those killed was the man who had intervened in the earlier dispute. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office identified one of the men who died as 24-year-old Jose Alejandro Valladolid. The second man’s identity had not been publicly released.
The other two men were taken to local hospitals with gunshot wounds. Police said one of those hospitalized was the other man identified as a shooter in the confrontation. Perez described the injuries as serious, but authorities had not released updated information about the men’s conditions as of Monday.
Police had announced no arrests in the case. Investigators also had not publicly established what caused the original dispute between the man and woman or provided additional information about the relationship among the people involved. Authorities have not released details about the firearms recovered or whether any criminal charges are expected.
Crime scene investigators remained at the property Sunday as officers interviewed people who had been at the gathering and processed evidence. A pickup truck was towed from the area as part of the investigation, according to police. Authorities have not said what connection, if any, the vehicle had to the shooting.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office is responsible for determining the official causes and manners of death and releasing identities after appropriate notifications. Fort Worth police said the investigation remains active and that the preliminary account could change as detectives gather additional evidence.
Author note: Last updated September 21, 2026.