Police in Arlington, TX are praising the swift action of a concealed carry permit holder who stepped up to eliminate a threat in a local restaurant Wednesday night.
Authorities say the gunman walked into Zona Caliente, in the 6500 block of South Cooper Street, about 6:15 p.m. and fatally shot 37-year-old Cesar Perez of Duncanville, the bar’s manager, Arlington police spokesman Christopher Cook said.
Authorities later found two loaded guns and two knives on the gunman, Jones, Cook said.
“We do believe he had the capacity to do much greater harm,” Cook said.
Witnesses told police the gunman entered the establishment and immediately began yelling incoherently at patrons.
“People didn’t know who he was yelling at,” Cook said.
Those same witnesses saw Perez trying to have a conversation with the man to calm him down before he was shot and killed.
That’s when a patron with a concealed carry permit told his wife to get down as he drew his weapon and eliminated the gunman, preventing further loss of life.
“After he was struck once, the suspect started shooting at the front door,” Cook told the Arlington Voice. “We know people were trying to escape, but we’re not sure if he was just trying to harm others.”
Cook said the customer, who was dining with his wife, “prevented further loss of life.”
The customer, who has not been identified, was carrying a handgun under the Texas concealed handgun license program, Cook later confirmed.
“We’re treating the good guy as sort of a hero,” Cook said.
In a statement, Arlington PD said: “This customer was armed with a handgun and engaged the shooter by firing his weapon towards the suspect, striking him. The suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene. It is too early to determine a motive or whether the suspect knew the employee.”
Police confirm there were over a dozen patrons and a handful of staff in the Zona Caliente at the time of the shooting. One person was injured by glass as they were exiting the building following the incident, but thanks to the swift actions of a good guy with a gun, no further loss of life or injuries were reported. from Bearing Arms
Carolyn please read it again the gunman actually had a gun and shot the manager.Ed
Maybe, but perhaps no one would have been killed in Australia because the bad guy didn’t have a gun either!
Oh but I forgot, people kill, guns don’t….so without guns being present that innocent person would still have been dead apparently.
This is a prime example of why the Australian citizen needs the right to self defence as it is in the USA, you are absolutely spot on with this analysis people wake up and stop being sheep led to slaughter. It is happening over here on a regular basis only the main stream media is keeping a tight lid on it. we need to be able to protect our selves every person has the right to defend their gift of life, but more importantly their family and their home. No person no matter who they are has the right to dictate to anyone, how if or when you can defend yourself when seconds count the police are minutes away. Sure they might get there in time to take you to the hospital, or the mortuary depending how you fare out after the incident.