A Dallas mother is taking a Deep Ellum nightclub and the man accused of killing her son to court, arguing that lax security practices cost 26-year-old Joseph Gray his life. Gray was working an extra shift as a security guard to support his growing family when he was shot inside the club while trying to break up a fight, and the lawsuit asks a jury to hold both the venue and the alleged gunman responsible for his death.
Lawsuit Lands In Dallas County Court
The wrongful death suit was filed June 2 in the 68th Judicial District Court and is listed as case number DC-26-09947, according to a press release from Shamieh Law. The complaint names La Tardeada and Detorius Tarver Jr. as defendants and asserts negligence, premises liability, gross negligence, wrongful death and survival claims. It seeks compensatory and punitive damages and requests a jury trial.
How Police Say The Night Turned Deadly
Police and local coverage say the violence broke out on the night of May 5 during a pair of shootings in the Deep Ellum entertainment district. The Dallas Morning News reported that 23-year-old Detorius Tarver Jr. allegedly fired a single shot inside La Tardeada that hit Gray in the chest as Gray tried to break up a fight. Other security guards subdued the suspect, police recovered a firearm, and Tarver was booked on a murder charge. The outlet also noted that Tarver was on probation after a 2024 felony evading-arrest conviction.
Inside The Complaint
The lawsuit claims the club allowed some patrons to pay to bypass security, creating conditions that were "obviously dangerous" for both staff and guests, according to the complaint and media reports. CBS News Texas highlighted the "pay to skip security" allegation, which sits at the heart of the family’s argument that basic safeguards were sacrificed. Gray’s mother also points to the fact that her son was unarmed while trying to keep order in a setting the suit describes as unsafe.
"Joseph Gray was an unarmed security guard doing exactly what he was hired to do," the family’s attorney said in a release from Shamieh Law, arguing that the business should have anticipated and reduced the risks that led to the shooting.
Officials And Neighbors React
City Council member Jesse Moreno said the business had already run into trouble with permitting and code rules and labeled the operator a "bad operator," according to reporting from The Dallas Morning News. La Tardeada has since announced a temporary suspension of operations while investigators work the case, and neighborhood groups and city officials say the shootings have renewed calls for tighter oversight of late-night venues in Deep Ellum.
What Happens Next In Court
The criminal and civil cases will move forward on separate tracks. The wrongful death lawsuit asks a civil jury to decide whether the business should be held liable under a lower civil standard, while prosecutors continue to evaluate the murder case against the accused shooter. The plaintiffs argue that a strong civil verdict could pressure Deep Ellum venues to rethink how they operate, and regulators and city leaders are expected to watch closely as both cases unfold.
