An argument over a gun at a weekend gender reveal party in Fort Worth preceded a mass shooting that left five people injured, according to the arrest warrant affidavit filed by police.
Several family members and friends, including children, were present for the event that took place Saturday when one of the guests noticed another partygoer continuously adjusting a handgun on his waistband throughout the evening, according to court documents obtained by The Dallas Morning News.
One of the attendees told the alleged shooter “he needed to put his gun in the car due to numerous persons, including children being
present,” the affidavit said. The suspect became angry and made threats to shoot the person. He was then escorted out of the backyard passing a wooden driveway gate, the affidavit said.
The accused shooter then cocked his handgun and pointed it at one of the attendees, causing that person “to fear for his life.” The person responded by retrieving his handgun and an exchange of gunfire between the two occurred, police said.
Nearby bystanders were struck by bullets, the affidavit said. The suspect was also wounded but he left the scene before police arrived and sought treatment at a local hospital driving there in a private vehicle, according to police.
The affidavit said the expecting mother, who was the guest of honor for the celebration, was in the vicinity when the incident happened and she told police the alleged shooter had a gun right before the shooting occurred. The witness told the authorities she felt wooden shards striking her as bullets passed through it.
The affidavit said the shooter intentionally threatened one of the attendees with a handgun causing them to react in self-defense, and shot in the direction where multiple people were present. Police said Sunday all five victims were taken for treatment to a local hospital, where they were said to be in stable condition.
The suspected shooter was arrested Sunday and is facing charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, police said in a Sunday news release. It was not clear if he has an attorney.