SAN ANTONIO (KXAN) — The man accused of killing two people and injuring five others during a shooting inside a San Antonio bar and music venue has been arrested, San Antonio Police Department reports.
SAPD reports that several units worked together to arrest suspect Kieran Christopher Williams, 19. He will be charged with capital murder and may face additional charges, SAPD says. He also has a previous criminal record.
“I regret everything I did, no lie, I do,” Williams told reporters as officers walked him to booking.
Williams also said he pulled the trigger because another man pulled a gun out on him. Williams shot first.
SAPD Chief William McManus says patrons were not being wanded when entering the music venue.
Police say officers were called shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday to the Ventura, a music venue located along San Antonio’s Museum Reach portion of the River Walk. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victims on Monday as Robert Jay Martinez III, 20, and Alejandro Robles, 25.
Reyna Chapa was enjoying the River Walk with her family when she heard the commotion.
“We heard the first round of shots, saw a bunch of kids running out of the venue,” she recalls.
One of those people approached her.
“Gasping for air, ‘My friends are inside,’ he said he hid behind the bar to avoid injuries and kind of just scrambled to find his friends,” Chapa says.
The family heard screeching tires and then another four to five shots, she says.
“We definitely knew, like, people were injured as many shots as we heard go off,” she says.
“It was kind of terrifying.”
Chapa and another employee told KXAN that Ventura has a reputation for being a friendly and welcoming place.
“That’s the first time we’ve heard of anything happening at that venue. We’re locals, we pass by it all the time,” Chapa says.
SAPD says the five other victims in the hospital are now in stable condition.
The youngest is 16 years old.
“It seemed to be, like, younger crowd so it’s very sad to see such young lives being so reckless… Two lives are now gone, it’s very sad,” Chapa says.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus tells WOAI-TV that an argument led to the shooting of several patrons.
One victim died at the scene, and another six were transported to a hospital, where one was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The investigation is ongoing.
