Mesquite family staying in motel after rental home is targeted in two separate shootings
MESQUITE, Texas - Gisell Hernandez and her husband, Horacio Acuna, returned to their Mesquite home for the first time Tuesday after it was shot up Saturday night.
The couple moved to the Mesquite rental home a few months ago and were excited to have space to spread out.
Now they are too scared to sleep there.
The terrifying encounter on Flamingo Way was captured on their newly-installed security cameras.
In the video, you can clearly hear the gunshots.
In daylight, you can see the aftermath.
Several bullet holes were left behind in their trucks and garage.
"It has happened twice. The first time we weren’t there, but the second time we were," said Hernandez. "We could’ve lost my daughter."
Hernandez says the first shooting was on July 24th.
The couple was out with their two young kids, ages 6 and 12, when it happened.
The family, who moved into the rental 5 months ago, initially thought it was random.
"We knew it wasn’t for us. There was no way, no way that it’s going to be for us. But unfortunately it happened to us a second time," Hernandez said.
The couple's daughter was in the family room when bullets came through the walls. Thankfully, she wasn't hit.
"To know that we could’ve lost my daughter because she was there," Hernandez said.
Horacio Acuna was frantically looking for his soon.
"I’m looking for my son, next thing I see him under the bed," he recalled.
Their son took cellphone video of the aftermath.
As he walks through the home you can see shattered glass and bullet holes in the kitchen, living room and dining room.
Luckily, the family escaped uninjured, but they want to know why their house is being targeted and why.
"I’m hoping the police will do something about it. Hopefully they find them, but, like me, just keeping cameras on see what’s going on find answers," said Acuna.
The surveillance video has been turned over to Mesquite Police and the couple has talked to their landlord about breaking their lease.
Only one of their trucks is operable.
"We got a bullet here, one still in here, and another one right here," said Acuna.
In the meantime, the family is staying at a motel, too scared to go back home.
"Emotionally and economically it’s hard to just get up and move out," said Hernandez.
FOX 4 reached out to Mesquite Police to try to get more information. The department says investigations are open into both shootings and that no arrests have been made.
Meanwhile, the couple are sharing their story and surveillance video, hoping someone knows who is responsible and contacts Mesquite police.