2025-01-25
Suspect fired 15 rounds into crowd outside downtown bar, police say
Mon, January 27th 2025 at 2:23 PM
Updated Mon, January 27th 2025 at 2:57 PM
Amarillo police investigate after a shooting downtown injured eight people and killed one. (Jamie Burch/KVII)
TOPICS:
AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — The suspect accused of shooting nine people in downtown Amarillo, killing one of them, fired 15 rounds into a crowd of people outside a bar.
Robert Kenney Knox, 23, is charged with murder and eight counts of deadly conduct/discharge of a firearm. Police said he used an AR-style pistol.
The shooting happened Sunday at about 2:00 a.m. when someone got out of the car with a weapon and opened fire into the crowd outside the nightclub "Bodega's" on the 700 block of S. Polk Street.
The Amarillo Police Department reported receiving "numerous 911 calls reporting a shooting in the 700 block of S. Polk St.
The investigation has determined that there was an argument inside the bar over flirting with girls that caused some anger.
After the bar closed, the crowd was on the front sidewalk when the suspects returned, firing 15 rounds, before pulling into the middle of the street.
Eyewitnesses saw the car approach the club and the shooting and decided to follow the suspects to help authorities apprehend them.
Amarillo Police Chief Martin Birkenfeld said he is especially grateful for the witness who put themselves in harm's way by following the suspects. Chief Birkenfeld said the witness felt it was their duty to follow the suspects after seeing the violence.
Nine people were shot. Six people were transported to both local hospitals. Three additional wounded "arrived by private vehicles."
One of the victims, 25-year-old John Love Louima, died at the hospital due to multiple gunshot injuries. The other victims are each expected to survive their injuries.
Officials said Louima was in the US on a work visa and his mother lives in Haiti.
CSI is conducting ballistics testing and police have the suspect vehicle, a small Dodge four-door vehicle.
APD said investigators are going through all the evidence with a fine tooth comb.
Nahryah Hilesta Ines Hayes, 21, the driver, is charged with murder and eight counts of deadly conduct/discharge of a firearm and was booked into the Potter County Detention Center.
Britt Brinson Cave, 22, a passenger in the backseat, was charged with public intoxication and booked into the Randall County Detention Center.
The suspects are friends, officials added.
FULL AMARILLO PD PRESS CONFERENCE:
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Press conference providing update on shooting in downtown Amarillo (KVII)