🌱 Downtown 7-Eleven Shooting Lawsuit + Municipal Courts Reopen

Hi all. It's me, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the Dallas Patch newsletter — here to explain everything you need to know about what's happening in town these days.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 90 Low: 68.

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Here are the top three stories in Dallas today:

1. The convenience store chain 7-Eleven is facing a lawsuit following a deadly shooting at a downtown Dallas location. On Apr. 5, Omari Frazier, 17, was fatally shot and another victim was injured at a 7-Eleven store on Ross Avenue. Donald Moore, 24, was arrested in the following days and charged with murder. Frazier's mother has filed a lawsuit against 7-Eleven, which alleges that the company "knew or should have known about crime" at that location and should have implemented increased security measures. The lawsuit also alleges that 7-Eleven failed to maintain proper staffing levels at the time of the shooting. (WFAA)
2. Dallas Municipal Courts reopened yesterday (May 30) after a ransomware attack forced the courts to close for nearly four weeks. The attack targeted the city's computers and resulted in the cancellation of all hearings, trials, and jury duty. City websites were also impacted, including the police department's ability to track crime statistics. Officials said that thanks to a previously scheduled system upgrade, the municipal courts are now functioning again. (KRLD)
3. The Deep Ellum Community Arts Fair celebrated its 150th year over the Memorial Day weekend. Event organizers made some changes to this year's event, including having a strong local focus. There was also a new route, with vendor tents lined up along Crowdus Street, which gave attendees space to explore restaurants and businesses in Deep Ellum. (WFAA)

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Today in Dallas:

• Serious Soul Ladies Night At The Free Man Cajun Cafe & Lounge (6:00 PM)
• Sushi & Sake Party At Central Market Dallas (6:30 PM)

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From my notebook:

• A Dallas kitten is going viral after being rescued from a grate near Bryan and Ervay Streets. Dallas Animal Services first tried to rescue the kitten on Sunday but were unsuccessful, ultimately freeing the kitten on Monday. Dallas Animal Services said the kitten would be available for adoption, or fostered if it is too young to adopt just yet. (WFAA)
• The Dallas Zoo has announced that the hippos will be unavailable for viewing through Thursday while their habitat is cleaned. Kalo the Hippo will be back soon, though. (Dallas Zoo via Facebook)
• In case you missed it, the City of Dallas shared resources for the recent Menstrual Hygiene Day in an effort to "make menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030." Period Access Dallas provides free menstrual hygiene products to public facilities in high-needs neighborhoods, click here for a full list of locations. (City of Dallas - City Hall via Facebook)

Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with another update!

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.