FORT WORTH, Texas — Fort Worth police are investigating a fatal shooting at a nightclub on North Main Street, seven days after another homicide at the same location.
Officers responded to El Gallito Copeton at 3:59 a.m. Sunday and found a male victim with multiple gunshot wounds in his upper torso, Fort Worth Police Department spokesperson officer Buddy Calzada said. Authorities took the man to a hospital, where he died.
Investigators believe two groups got into a verbal argument at the bar, left, then returned and fought. It's not clear how many people fired guns, but Calzada said there was more than one shooter and members of the two groups fired at each other.
Calzada said there is nothing to indicate the May 19 fight was connected to previous incidents at the bar.
"We do feel it's isolated," he said.
Nearby businesses told WFAA they've turned over surveillance video to police, who have not yet identified a suspect.
Police have also not identified or arrested the person who shot and killed 29-year-old Arnulfo Mauricio at El Gallito Copeton on May 12. In that case, investigators believe an argument turned into a fight inside the bar. Police said one person shot Mauricio in the chest as the rowdy patrons were being escorted out of the facility.
"I can never forget last Sunday," said Monica Gandara, who lives next to the bar. "I was at home. I heard the whole thing. I heard the people screaming."
Gandara says she's repeatedly called police for help with the bar's patrons, whom she says stay at the bar long past 2 a.m. and fight or shoot guns in the parking lot.
She told WFAA she purposefully selected a back bedroom for her child so he would be on the side of the house opposite the bar.
"We shouldn't be accustomed to having gun shootings," she said. "We shouldn't be accustomed to having violence."
Calzada said Fort Worth PD will probably station more officers in the area "in the next few days or at least on weekends."
Gandara said she'll be happy to see more police in her neighborhood, but hopes officials shut down the bar. She says she's asked the city to investigate the operation before.
"If they're not going to control the people in their bar, why keep it open?" she asked.
Calzada said he hopes Fort Worth residents will call 911 to stop verbal arguments from becoming physical altercations.
"That's what we're here for," he said. "911 is just a few steps away."