Erin Graham was shot and killed at an the 8th & Corinth DART station on Dec. 18 after he allegedly said “excuse you” to another transit passenger, who then opened fire after a brief verbal exchange.
Graham’s slaying on the public transit agency was the fifth since January 2025, heightening fears about passenger safety on one of the nation’s largest light rail systems.
“The pain of losing someone so dear is overwhelming, and we are doing our best to support each other through this difficult time,” Graham’s family wrote on a GoFundMe page they started for his funeral costs.
According to social media posts from his family members, Graham was an aspiring nurse’s aide. His funeral was Saturday.
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The other recent killings on DART occurred on Nov. 1, Oct. 5, Sept. 29, and Jan. 21, 2025, according to DART crime data provided to The Dallas Morning News. Most of the homicides were committed by strangers.
Despite the high-profile crimes, DART officials say they have taken steps to increase security and rider safety.
“The homicides that have happened are tragic, and one is too many, but they’re not indicative of the work that goes on here,” Charles Cato, DART chief of police and emergency management, said. “Our riders deserve a safe system to ride, and we’re doing everything in our authority to make sure that happens every day.”
Prevention initiatives
When he looks at crime as a whole, Cato said he tries to remember that the DART system has a symbiotic relationship with the communities it serves.
“The issues that happen in those communities and with the people who live there are going to translate over to the system,” Cato said.
When he first started, Cato said he implemented a data-driven accountability model for crime and traffic safety. The main action item for the model is meetings between him and the commanders every 15 days where they go over crime statistics for all DART property and vehicles.
“We go over which places have the highest rate of crime and which have the most cause for service,” Cato said. “We look at the people involved in crimes, who the victims are and the places where most crimes are occurring. We also look at behaviors, so what behaviors — if any — are people engaging in that create opportunities for crime.”
DART also employs an initiative that focuses on environmental aspects that could heighten the chances of a crime happening, Cato said. This includes evaluations of fencing, lighting and other environmental characteristics that can make DART property a less likely target for crime.
Cato said the organization is in the process of implementing those findings, which could include construction at various stations.
DART officers work near a DART police car on Thursday, August 3, 2017 near the West End DART station in downtown Dallas.
Ashley Landis / Staff Photographer
Riders can also download the DART Say Something Safety and Security App, which can be used for reporting concerns directly to DART Police, Cato said. Riders can use the app to send photos, six second video, descriptions and locations of potential crimes.
Cato said every crime has a motivated defender, a suitable target and the absence of a guardian. The goal is to break that triangle, taking away a piece that makes committing a crime obtainable, he said.
Data retrieved from the transit agency’s website suggests that an average of 4.5 million passengers used DART to get around during the agency’s 2025 fiscal year, which began in October 2024 and ended in September 2025. About 44% of serious DART crimes during that period occurred on transit platforms.
From January to November 2025, there were four homicides and 53 aggravated assaults on DART property or transit vehicles, according to DART crime data provided to The News. A fifth homicide, the death of Graham, took place in December.
Publicly accessible FY25 data showed the highest amount of Group A offenses, defined by the FBI as serious crimes like homicide, robbery, assault and burglary, was in June. In total, DART saw 727 Group A offenses in FY25, which is a 5% increase compared with FY24.
Stepped up hiring to boost safety
DART police officers and public safety officials have implemented additional crime prevention tactics and are working to increase staffing.
The DART Police Department is authorized to have 231 sworn police officers. DART PD hired 35 new officers during the FY25, which is the most they have hired in a single year. They also had 23 employee departures, leaving the employment increase at 12.
Cato grew up in Dallas and has been in law enforcement since 1988, he said. He joined the DART police force in 2022 with the goal of making public transit safer for everyone.
Besides police officers, Cato said DART has 83 uniformed fare enforcement officers that carry pepper spray, body cameras and a DART police radio. The fare officers have the ability to write citations, check tickets and ensure rider compliance, Cato said.
DART is also contracted with Inter-Con Security, which provides the agency with 100 transit security officers. The transit security officers are allowed to carry a firearm, pepper spray, handcuffs and a DART police radio, Cato said.
Charles Cato serves as the third DART police chief with over 30 years of law enforcement experience. Cato said with a daughter, granddaughters and a wife, he wants them and everyone to have a safe experience on public transit.
Christine Vo / Staff Photographer
“It’s not feasible to put a sworn officer on every vehicle,” Cato said. “However, my goal is to put one uniformed person — whether it be DART police, a fare officer or a transit security officer — with a DART police radio on every vehicle we have to ensure there’s somebody there.”
These officers can supplement the DART police presence at stations and on buses and trains, Cato said.
Cato said that goal is in the works until DART can maintain the staffing needed to facilitate it. DART police are looking into grant applications and other supplemental funds that could help achieve that, Cato said.
Cato said he has also explored the possibility of a transit ambassador program, where someone who is not an officer but is outfitted with a DART uniform and radio would be present, but has not initiated it.
“The responsibility of safety on the system is everyone’s responsibility, not just the police or security,” Cato said. “Each rider has a duty to be aware of their surroundings, practice good safety skills and communicate and engage with us.”