AUSTIN, Texas — People who live and work near an East Austin club where a deadly shooting erupted say they are still rattled a day later, as a local gun store owner claims his employees acted in self-defense.
The shooting happened at Cabana Club Friday night around 8:45, leaving one person dead and multiple others injured.
Jerry Musick, the owner of ATX Stone, recorded video from the back window of his shop shortly after the shooting. “Murder at the Cabana Club tonight, and I had to witness it,” Musick said in the video.
Musick said he saw a person hurt and others fleeing.
“Unfortunately, that’s where I saw a guy clutching his stomach, half bent over and some guys running off and jumping into a getaway van,” he said. “And still at that point, I was still, I was still in shock.”
Musick and some people who live in the apartment complex next door, who did not want to be on camera, said they heard three or four shots.
“To me, it’s disturbing, like to say the least,” he said. “Obviously there’s a lack of regard for human life for whatever reason.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: One dead, multiple injured in shooting outside Cabana Club in East Austin
On Saturday afternoon, Central Texas Gun Works owner, Michael Cargill, said two of his employees were involved in the incident. He said one employee is in the hospital and the other is being charged with murder.
Cargill said his employees pulled up to Cabana Club to hang out when a group that had been kicked out of the bar approached them. He said the group allegedly mistook his employees for someone else they had fought with earlier, leading to a fight outside the club. Cargill said one employee pulled out a gun to “stop the threat.”
“They were being attacked. Someone tried to kill them. One employee was knocked unconscious. He had no choice but to defend himself,” Cargill said. “My employee did exactly what I would have done. He did exactly what he was trained to do.”
Austin police have not confirmed whether the shooting was self-defense.
Austin Police Association President Michael Bullock said multiple factors are considered when determining whether a shooting was justified.
“The things we’re going to look at are whether disturbances are involved ahead of time, who may have started an argument. What preceded all of the events. It could be the location of what happened,” Bullock said.
APD was contacted to confirm additional details Cargill provided Tuesday afternoon, but there was no response.