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The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department has arrested a suspect in the Oct. 18 deadly shooting that took place during the Southside High School Homecoming tailgate, killing 32-year-old Devante Hall.

Dallas County Sheriff Mike Granthum said Devin Jamale Walker, 31. was arrested on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 304 Gaines Ave. and was indicted on charges of murder and shooting into an unoccupied vehicle or building. He is being held in the Perry County Jail.

Currently, Walker has no bond and will remain without a bond until he has a court date. Granthum said the next steps since Walker’s arrest will involve Walker’s attorney doing their own discovery in the case, leading to a court date. No date has been set at this time.

Granthum also said soon enough, he believes Walker will also request for his attorney to get him a bond hearing, sometime soon within the case.

“We knew that Walker was the leading suspect for the case because we collected some evidence from the scene like shell casings and stuff, and we were able to interview witnesses. uring that process, he was picked out of the lineup, and there were witnesses there that said they actually saw him do it,” Granthum said. “But, there were hundreds of people out there that night as well. So, it wasn’t too hard.”

Granthum said the shooting stemmed from a heated argument between Walker and Hall that happened elsewhere and said the two men involved brought the aggression to the school grounds when they saw each other.

“Hall, didn’t even live here anymore,” Granthum said. He was actually visiting from out of town just here during that weekend for the homecoming, visiting friends and stuff. Next thing you know, he’s getting shot out there.”

Granthum said additional suspects could be charged as accessories to the case, but Granthum said he felt confident about Walker’s involvement in the case.

“The investigation is still ongoing,” Granthum said. “There are still some people being interviewed and stuff, which leads us to questions that we still have to find out such as how he left there, did somebody drive him and did somebody do this and do that. It’s really an investigation but there could be more arrests, it’s possible.”

Granthum said overall, he feels the murder was senseless.

“Being that we can’t come to conclusions, sit down like men and discuss our problems,” Granthum said. “Instead, we’ve got to argue and then pull out a gun. We got to stop that. But, if we can make our community safer by putting somebody in jail, I’m thrilled to death.”

While Walker is presumed innocent until proven guilty, Granthum said he feels the case is strong.

“We’ve got eyewitnesses and forensic evidence and stuff,” Granthum said. “The community is safer that he has been arrested. I’m not going to say anybody’s a serial killer, but if somebody kills someone once, they will kill again, and he needed to be off of the streets. He has his time to face his day in court and if he proves himself innocent, he’ll walk free but if not, he is right where he belongs.”

Granthum said he feels people within the community think pulling out a gun is a way to solve a problem but he said it’s not. Granthum said he wishes those within the community could learn more about conflict resolution instead of the ongoing resolve of deadly retaliation because it always does more harm than good and the situation between Walker and Hall is a direct result of that.

“But you know, why can’t they sit down and talk, that being with just anybody, sit down and talk their problems out, conflict resolution instead of pulling out a gun?” Granthum said.

“Walker’s family is a victim now also, not just Hall and his family, “Granthum said. “If he has kids, he’s taken away from his children, if he has a wife, he’s taken away from his wife. I mean they don’t think that it’s a spur of the moment reaction to something. They don’t think of the consequences. Then, if he doesn’t have children, he’s missing Christmas, Thanksgiving next year and if he has kids, he’s missing out on them growing up, maybe their first dance recital or their first little thing at school.”

Granthum said starting the first of year, he and his team plans to meet with the local school board to discuss possible solutions to alleviate outcomes such as this during regular scheduled school events and special events commemorating exciting moments such as homecoming.