Investigators say the gunman ran after an exchange of shots outside the Oak Cliff business.
DALLAS, TX — A 27-year-old tattoo shop owner was shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire outside his Oak Cliff business around 10 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, and police say the suspect fled on foot after ditching a vehicle nearby.
Dallas homicide detectives are investigating the killing outside Legendary Ink at East 11th Street and Cedar Crest Boulevard. Police have not announced an arrest or released a suspected motive. Detectives said they are reviewing surveillance video and canvassing the area for additional witnesses. Family members said the victim, identified by relatives and customers as Just Smith-Gibbs, was a father with twins on the way. The shooting drew officers and crime-scene technicians late Tuesday and into Wednesday as investigators marked shell casings and recorded damage to the storefront.
Officers were called just after 10 p.m. Tuesday to reports of shots fired at the shop. According to police at the scene, an armed person approached Smith-Gibbs outside Legendary Ink and opened fire. The shop owner returned fire before collapsing. He was pronounced dead a short time later. The shooter ran from the scene; it was not immediately clear whether that person was injured. By Wednesday morning, shattered glass remained on the sidewalk outside the business as detectives requested security footage from nearby cameras and interviewed people who had been in the area.
Customers and neighbors identified Smith-Gibbs as the owner of Legendary Ink and said he was often at the shop late meeting clients. “It’s sad that he isn’t here anymore. We will miss him a lot,” said longtime client Leeanna Coleman, who described the shop as a place she trusted. A nearby business owner, Isreal Fininen, said the killing rattled merchants along Cedar Crest Boulevard. “A businessman should be able to go into his business, take care of his business and go home safe and back to his family,” Fininen said. Police said the suspect left a vehicle behind before running away; investigators did not release a detailed description of the shooter.
Records show detectives with the Dallas Police Department’s homicide unit took the lead, standard procedure in fatal shootings. Investigators were working to determine whether any of the rounds struck other buildings or vehicles and whether bullets recovered at the scene can be matched to a specific firearm. As of Wednesday afternoon, police had not confirmed the total number of shots fired or whether more than one gun was involved beyond the exchange described by officers. Officials did not say whether previous calls for service had been made to the location in recent months.
The fatal shooting comes as police continue broader efforts to reduce violent crime in southern Dallas neighborhoods including Cedar Crest and parts of Oak Cliff. In recent years, detectives have leaned on surveillance video, license plate readers, and door-to-door canvasses to identify fleeing suspects in night-time shootings. Neighbors said the corner around East 11th Street is active late with traffic to small storefronts and that parking along the boulevard can crowd sightlines after dark, complicating witness accounts.
Detectives are reviewing video from the shop and nearby businesses and expect to release additional details once a clearer suspect timeline is established. The Dallas County Medical Examiner will confirm the victim’s identity and cause of death. Police said updates would come as investigators verify evidence and complete interviews. No court filings had been posted as of Wednesday, and authorities did not announce a news conference. If a suspect is identified, police could seek an arrest warrant through a magistrate judge; any first appearance would be scheduled at the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas.
By nightfall Wednesday, mourners left flowers near the door of the small storefront, where a bright sports car often parked out front during business hours. A handful of customers returned to look through the window at the taped-off glass, speaking quietly about their appointments and the owner’s meticulous work. “He was really legendary,” Coleman said. “He didn’t have to die like that.” The strip of businesses reopened with limited foot traffic as workers swept up glass and boarded a pane along the entrance.
As of late Wednesday, no arrest had been announced and detectives said the investigation remains active as they collect video and witness statements. Further updates are expected once the medical examiner’s report and additional evidence reviews are complete.
Author note: Last updated January 7, 2026.