CCPD says a man arrived on horse before returning with a rifle and threatening bar staff downtown. He now faces multiple felony charges, including child endangerment
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A man is behind bars after Corpus Christi police say he arrived on horseback before threatening bar staff with a rifle during a downtown disturbance Saturday night.
RELATED: Corpus Christi man arrested after alleged rifle assault on horseback, police say
According to the Corpus Christi Police Department, officers responded just before midnight Saturday to the 400 block of Starr Street for a reported aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
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Investigators say 27-year-old Deeandre McGee initially arrived at the business on horseback. Police say he caused a disturbance, left the area, then returned armed with a rifle and pointed it at multiple people while several of his associates assaulted bar staff.
“So probably about 15 to 20 people,” said Audra Culver, who works at a nearby bar. “From what they had told me, he (McGee) wasn’t trying to start the fight. He was trying to de-escalate the situation, where in turn, it escalated pretty quickly.”
Fortunately, police say no one suffered serious injuries during the incident.
Because of the violent nature of the case, CCPD’s Gang Unit took over the investigation, with assistance from several specialized units.
Four days later, on Wednesday, officers arrested McGee during a traffic stop.
Police say officers also found an unlawfully carried handgun, approximately 55 grams of crack cocaine and 71 grams of powder cocaine during the arrest. Authorities say a child was also present in the vehicle, leading to an additional child endangerment charge.
At the same time, detectives executed a search warrant at a home on Green Leaf Drive, where they say they recovered a rifle matching the description of the weapon used during Saturday’s assault.
Lt. Paul Janko said investigators believe the incident was isolated but emphasized that violence in the city’s entertainment district will not be tolerated.
“We got the weapon that was used in the crime that hurt someone, placed everyone in fear downtown,” Janko, one of the department’s gang unit supervisors, said. “Downtown should be a safe event. We should go downtown to do the ArtWalk or anything else like that, and to be safe. If you go downtown and cause violence, you will go to jail.”
McGee now faces charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, engaging in organized criminal activity, unlawful carrying of a weapon, possession of a controlled substance and child endangerment.
Police say they are still trying to determine what happened to the horse involved in the incident.