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Who are San Antonio sports bar shooting victims? 3 dead, 2 hurt as pool ball fight turns deadly

A dispute reportedly abroke out between two people inside the pub before spilling out into the parking lot, when an unidentified guy opened fire

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS: An argument between two individuals at a sports bar on New Braunfels in San Antonio, Texas early on Sunday, August 15 ended up in a mass shooting that resulted in the deaths of three people and the serious injuries of two more.

News of the shooting comes on the heels of a mass shooting at a California gun stone. MEAWW has earlier reported on the harrowing shooting outside a Times Square theater that left three injured, including a four-year-old girl. The nation has seen a rise in violent crimes in recent months. According to reports, 687 people were injured or killed in police-reported gun violence through June 6, which is the most since 2000. Early this month, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued a first-in-the-nation executive order declaring gun violence a 'disaster emergency'.

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Sunday's incident is reminiscent of the horrors posed by gun violence across America. The shooting erupted outside the Boom Boom Sports Bar at around 3.35 am, leaving three dead and two others critically wounded news outlets revealed. The suspect is still at large, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said at a briefing. April Rodriguez, 32, Dan Edward Martinez Jr, 28, and Mauro Rodriguez, 26, were confirmed by family members as the victims.

According to McManus, a dispute broke out between two people inside the pub before spilling out into the parking lot, when an unidentified guy opened fire, the Daily Mail reported. Dan Martinez, the father of one of the victims Dan Edward Martinez Jr, claimed that as his son came in, people were fighting with pool balls. "He always wanted to be that noble person, to try to not like have so much violence, because he's been through so much growing up, he was trying to do the right thing," Martinez told KENS 5. Martinez said his son was attempting to assist people like April Rodriguez, 32, and Mauro Rodriguez, 26, who were siblings, who went to the pub, and also died that day.

Danielle Martinez, Martinez Jr's sister, stated her brother's girlfriend phoned her and said he had been shot. "I've been crying on and off, I just can't believe it's real, it's not real," she said. According to authorities, the proprietor was attempting to close the bar when the altercation erupted. 

Rodriguez's bereaved family spoke to KENS 5. "They were always together, it was always him and her, they were holding hands until the end," Tiffany Rodriguez, their sister, told the news outlet. “She didn’t deserve this, either of them. They were both very loving, open arms to everybody, she didn’t deserve this."

Rodriguez is survived by four children and a number of family members. Mauro Rodriguez, Tiffany Rodriguez's brother, was a boxer, according to her. The Boom Boom Sports Bar was open until 3:30 am, which both families find strange.

What happened at the Boom Boom Sports Bar?

According to Sue Kalberg of KENS5, "Family of one victim says people were using pool balls as weapons when the fight started." On the way back to the bar when the altercation overflowed into the parking lot, a man walked to his car, got out a long gun, and began firing shots into the air, striking two women, one of whom was April Rodriguez, and three men, two of whom were Dan Edward Martinez, Jr and Mauro Rodriguez. Two people died at the spot, one died later at Brooke Army Medical Center, and two more are in critical condition.

"That person meant to do damage, he meant to do harm," Martinez Jr.'s sister said of the gunman, as the families wondered why the bar was open so late without security or anyone to intervene. "If they didn't have security or nobody to stop things like this, why were they open?" Rodriguez added. "These kids deserve answers, like why did they take their mom from them and their uncle?" she added.

The owner was allegedly attempted to get people to leave, but Martinez's family believes the owners are to blame. "I think that's illegal [they're open after hours] and people lost their lives because of that," Martinez said. A GoFundMe has been set up for Martinez's funeral expenses. "My sweet loving brother was taken too soon!! To senseless gun violence he was trying to break up a fight & someone started shooting. We are raising money for funeral expenses & for his children as well. Please anything helps!! God bless you all & please pray & call your loved ones today is not promised!!," Danielle, who set up the GoFundMe, wrote. 

Police haven't said who they're looking for or what they're looking for. According to McManus, it's unclear whether the suspect and the victims were connected. According to family members, anyone who has a mobile phone video of the incident should share it with police in order to assist in the arrest of a capital murder suspect.