HOUSTON – Witnesses say a bar fight turned deadly overnight in east Harris County.
According to the Harris County Sheriff's Office, it started around 11:45 p.m. Wednesday at the Moonlight Sports Bar, formerly known as Audie's Sports Bar and Grill. The establishment is located in the 5100 block of the East Sam Houston Parkway.
Witnesses said the bar was packed with up to 40 people when a verbal fight got physical and the violence escalated into gunfire.
The bar manager says the six men involved then took it outside into the parking lot.
Minutes later, witnesses say at least a half dozen shots rang out and at least one man was shot.
The 33-year-old victim died at the scene. The shooter was not taken into custody and he is claiming self-defense.
Deputies said no charges have been filed and the case will be referred to a grand jury.
Bar patrons were forced to remain inside the bar for hours after the shooting.
They had few answers, but they did hear from the bar manager who bolted back inside after trying to break up the fight outside.
"At the point I hear the gunshots, I ran right here and ran down to the end. I called 911 and let them know shots were fired and asked them to send help," Cedric Washington, the bar manager, said.
"I was checking on him. He had ran in and he said it felt like it hit him, like glazed him and he was so startled," Listie Wells, a bar customer, said.
The bar manager says the man who was killed was a regular customer who had never caused problems.
