A hail of bullets and chaos descended upon Sugars of San Antonio strip club, leading to the charging of 21-year-old Moses Mata after a violent confrontation early yesterday morning. Mata now faces three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The Northwest Side strip club, located off Northwest Loop 410 near Interstate 10, became a crime scene shortly after 2 a.m. when gunshots rang out in the parking lot.
San Antonio police officers arrived to find a 23-year-old gunshot victim who, according to security guards, was shot by Mata. A supposed lover's quarrel between a group of men had escalated despite efforts by two security guards to mitigate the conflict with pepper spray, which proved ineffective. The Fox San Antonio reported that an altercation in the parking lot was the precursor to the shooting.
Witness accounts detailed that Mata drew a firearm amidst the commotion and began shooting, hitting the aforementioned individual. In response, the security guards drew their own weapons and engaged the gunman. "The two security guards pulled their guns and returned fire toward the suspect, hitting him during the gun battle," detailed a report by MSN. Mata, injured in the shootout, dropped his gun, fled in a black sports car, and subsequently turned up at a local hospital still wearing his "red puffy jacket".
The wounded 23-year-old victim received medical attention and is in stable condition, while Mata, who was shot multiple times, was listed in critical condition post the altercation. The ongoing investigation by local authorities seeks to illuminate the events that lead up to the gunfight. With the primary suspect charged and recovering in the hospital, law enforcement continues to piece together this violent episode on San Antonio's Northwest Side.
