Two individuals were killed, and five wounded, Saturday during an unauthorized party at a Fort Worth, Texas dance studio. Local officials are describing the shooting as gang-related and are preparing to make arrests. This weekend’s dance studio shooting marks the 33rd American mass shooting during the month of June– and ninth in the past week according to Gun Violence Archive .
The fatal shootout occurred as a party-goer ran toward a studio exit door. Then, according to witnesses, an unknown number of assailants exchanged gunfire in the studio’s parking lot and from across the street.
Studio owner Laura Reyner described the after-hours party at her establishment as an unauthorized event. Per TH Online.com, Reyna stated the following.
“I would consider it trespassing just for the fact that as the owner and operator of this facility I did not know, nor was there an exchange of any formal contract for people to be inside there.”
Studio 74 employee, Jason Moore, was on hand as the deadly shooting unfolded and said he utilized a towel to attempt to stop the bleeding of one of the victims. That victim later died outside the studio’s front door.
“He got hit in the lungs, so there was no coming back for him,” Moore said.
Moore said the shooting transpired around midnight. The heroic employee evacuated people through a side door of the studio, which is located near a Texas highway and Police Station.
According to Moore, several party-goers were carrying guns and he believed shots were fired within the dance studio as well. Reyna said Moore was unaware the group was illegally trespassing upon the establishment.
“I’m very heartfelt for the family and victims,” said Reyner. “This is a place, it’s a nonprofit organization. We deal in hip hop culture and we cater to our community. It’s a safe haven… we dance, we compete. We try to stay away from events like this that happen.”
Fort Worth police stated arrests in connection to the shooting are imminent. Moore explained to ABC News the trespassing party seemed legitimate.”They were charging at the door like it was a legit thing, they had a metal detector at the door and everything.” Moore said a DJ also brought equipment.
While gang-violence is suspected as the shooting’s motive, Reyner reiterated that business for her dance studio would continue as normal.
A scheduled dance engagement for Studio 74 went on as planned on Saturday night.
[Photo by Larry W. Smith/Getty Images]
