Man charged in strip club shooting

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A suspect, Jorge Luis Gutierrez, is being held in the double homicide at a Travis County strip club on Memorial Day.

Gutierrez, 28, is charged with capital murder. His bond has been set at $1 million. According to the Travis County Sheriff's Office, detectives think the incident started as a fist fight, and Gutierrez went to a white truck and retrieved a pistol. He shot the two brothers, Jose Hernandez and Arturo Rodriguez Jr. Both died.

The family of Rodriguez, 24, and Hernandez, 25, said security obviously was flawed because their 15-year-old younger brother was allowed inside.

“I just do not think they did their job period,” said sister MariLu Hernandez. “I do not know where they were when all this was happening.”

The initial altercation began inside the club where the two brothers, along with their 15-year-old younger sibling, got into an argument with a group of people concerning a cell phone the group accused the brothers of stealing.

As they were leaving the club at 3am, members of that group were waiting outside and opened fire on the brothers.

Jose was shot point blank and died on the scene while Arturo died later at Brackenridge.

The family was mourning their loss while wondering why security was not there to help and how a minor was allowed inside. MariLu says her brothers were regulars and security may have not bothered checking them or the people who killed them.

“Obviously, they knew (her brothers) and did not check anyone with them,” said MariLu. “But if you knew them and they were your friends, where were you when they needed you the most?”

Two men were taken into custody for questioning by Travis County Sheriff deputies, but so far no charges have been filed.

The Pink Monkey has had a history of violent crime according to the sheriff’s office.

“We have responded to other calls for robberies and assaults,” said sheriff’s spokesperson Roger Wade who also indicated they would investigate the club’s operations further.

“We are going to conduct investigation in homicide and any other crimes that have occurred at this location as well.”

Club management declined to comment.