ALEDO, Texas — One person is dead and three people are wounded following an early Sunday morning shooting at a Tarrant County strip club, the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office says.
According to the sheriff's office, deputies were dispatched to a shooting in progress at Temptations Cabaret, located within the 12200 block of Camp Bowie West Boulevard in Aledo, at approximately 3:15 a.m.
In a statement released Sunday afternoon, the sheriff's office said witnesses told the responding deputies that the shooting was the result of a fight that began inside the club and that it quickly escalated when a patron who was asked to leave pulled out a gun and fired it in the direction of others in the parking lot of the venue, injuring three of them.
The club's armed security then returned fire and struck the suspect, who later died at a local hospital, the statement reads.
The other three who were injured in the shooting are being treated at local hospitals and are expected to survive, the sheriff's office said.
In a statement shared to his Twitter account on Sunday afternoon, Tarrant County Commissioner Manny Ramirez called the incident a "shootout" and said Temptations has displayed "a clear pattern of dangerous criminal activity" over the years.
His statement additionally alleges "multiple homicides, numerous aggravated assaults, and dozens of drug related offenses" and a "double stabbing" having taken place at the business.
"For too long we have seen criminal activity emanate from this establishment, making our community less safe and creating a dangerous environment for our men and women in law enforcement," Ramirez tweeted along with an image of his statement. "Enough is enough."
His statement further refers to Temptations as a "dangerous establishment" that "should have been shut down a decade ago" and requests that the District Attorney of Tarrant County "take all necessary and legal steps to immediately shutter" it.
Ramirez also previously talked about crime around the club during a commissioners meeting on May 16.
"We don't have very many of those in unincorporated Tarrant County. There's only a handful. But then we recognize that there is a problem. We have to stand up and take action. I think that our residents who live over there and anybody surrounding has dealt with this for too long," Ramirez said. "In 2020, there were two homicides there. In 2021 they had 75 calls for service that our sheriff's office had to respond to -- in 2022, 134."
One resident, Buck Thompson, who lives in a subdivision near the club told WFAA that he's witnessed violence over the years the stems from that business.
"I've lived here in Lost Creek for 25 years," said Thompson. "This past summer, there was a shooting and we saw two guys out front and one of them was actually bleeding."
Thompson is among homeowners wanting something to be done amid safety concerns around the area.
"It's a big concern. I've just recently added in some safety precautions," Thompson said. "I got a Blink camera system, and I also have a home security system."
The sheriff's office declined to share any additional information about its ongoing investigation.
Tarrant County commissioners plan to consult with Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells to determine what steps they can take toward shutting down Temptations.
During their May 16 meeting, Ramirez also suggested that he and his fellow commissioners not renew the business license for the owners of Temptations. The commissioners received written complaints from residents impacted by alleged violence stemming from the club.