Texas police say a concealed carry holder likely ended a mass shooting after an “incoherent” gunman entered a sports bar with two firearms and two knives.
Patrons at Zona Caliente in Arlington ran for cover when James Jones, 48, entered the establishment and killed its manager, 37-year-old Cesar Perez. A man who police have chosen not to identify as of Friday engaged and killed the shooter as he fired towards exit doors.
“There was a customer at the location having dinner with his wife,” police spokesman Christopher Cook told the Dallas Morning News. “He told his wife at that point to get down because he was carrying a firearm. He made the conscious decision to go ahead and engage the shooter thinking that there may be further loss of life. … Right now, from what we’ve been able to ascertain and gather just from people who were on the scene, it sounds as if this [hero] really kind of saved or prevented further loss of life. We’ll be piecing that together as the interviews occur.”
One woman was injured from shattered glass as she tried to escape the chaos.
Mr. Cook confirmed Thursday that Arlington’s good Samaritan legally used his firearm as part of Texas’ concealed handgun license program.
“We’re treating the good guy as sort of a hero,” he said.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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