Five people were shot during an argument at a gender reveal party in Fort Worth Saturday, police said.
Jose Manuel Garcia, 22, was brandishing a weapon throughout the event before being confronted by another person at the party, according to Fort Worth police.
During the argument, both Garcia and the other individual drew their weapons, according to a police report. Both opened fire, with Garcia firing toward the yard, according to police. A FWPD spokesperson said it was unclear who shot first.
Five people in their 20s were injured, including Garcia. One person was shot in the head and required immediate surgery. One was shot in the foot, another in the leg, and the fourth person was grazed. All are expected to recover.
No children were injured.
"The family and witnesses around this incident, they did the right thing by calling us right away," said the spokesperson, Daniel Segura. "They even attempted to stop the argument."
It was not clear if police were called before or after shots were fired.
The pregnant woman told police she was standing behind the wooden fence in the vicinity of one of the victims, according to the police report. She recalled Jose having a handgun before the shooting and hearing a gun cocked from the driveway area. When shooting began, she told police she felt wood shards from the fence striking her as bullets passed through it.
After Garcia was struck and fell, he fled the scene in a vehicle, police said. Officers later found him at a nearby hospital.
Garcia, who also underwent surgery for his injuries, is now in custody and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Alexsis Jones is a reporter and producer for KERA News. Got a tip? Email Alexsis at ajones@kera.org.
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