A shooting occurred at the Lone Star Rally, a motorcycle event in Galveston, Texas, on Saturday night, injuring six people, according to the police and witnesses. The police detained one person of interest, who had a gun, and are investigating the motive and the number of shooters.
The rally attracted hundreds of thousands of people to the island city, where they enjoyed live music, bike shows, and vendors. The shooting happened in a historic district called The Strand, where crowds were gathered.
“We heard a pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, and we thought it was fireworks. And then we saw people running and screaming and yelling and we realized it was a shooting,” said a witness, who did not want to be identified.
“It was just a brutal situation. It was just a lot of people, a lot of commotion, a lot of confusion,” said another witness, who also asked to remain anonymous.
The victims were taken to a trauma center for treatment. Their conditions were not immediately known.
The suspect has been identified as 20-year-old Jalen Deshawn Bell of Houston. He has been charged with six counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and is being held on a $1.5 million bond, according to Galveston County District Attorney Jack Roady.
The Lone Star Rally is a significant motorcycle event in the country, drawing in more than 400,000 visitors annually. It started on Thursday and ended on Sunday. The organizers conveyed their sorrow about the shooting incident and commended the swift response of law enforcement.
Galveston is an island city on the Gulf Coast of Texas, about 50 miles from Houston.
Relevant articles:
– Galveston shooting: 5 people injured in a shooting during the Lone Star motorcycle rally, CNN, November 5, 2023
– Man accused of shooting 6 people at Lone Star Rally in Galveston to face judge, KHOU, November 6, 2023
– Galveston Lone Star Rally shooting: 6 wounded, 20-year-old arrested and charged, MSN, November 5, 2023
– ‘It was just a brutal situation’ | Witnesses describe the chaos during shooting at the Lone Star Rally, KHOU, November 5, 2023