Man Claiming to Be UFC Fighter Shoots 8 People Outside San Antonio Bar After Being Refused Entry

A man claiming to be a UFC fighter shot at least eight people outside a San Antonio bar on Friday night after being denied entry. Law enforcement responded around 11:30 p.m. local time and are still looking for the gunman, who, according to San Antonio Police Chief, William McManus told patrons: “Don’t you know who I am? I’m a UFC fighter from California.” After he was refused entry, the suspect then “walked back to his car, pulled out a long rifle and walked back across the street and opened fire.”

The New York Times reports the victims — five men and three women — are currently in stable condition and range from the ages of 23 to 41. According to ABC News, two were grazed by bullets and refused treatment, while the other six went to the hospital for further treatment and assessment. Among the most seriously injured is a man who suffered a gunshot wound to the back, according to the chief. None of the victims have been publicly identified with authorities stating the shooter fled the scene and is still at-large and is unclear whether he is affiliated with the UFC.

While the shooter remains at large, McManus said at a press conference last night that there isn’t any risk to the area at the moment. The suspect and alleged UFC fighter were with four others, another male and three females, who all showed up to the REBAR nightspot where a bouncer had stopped them from entering. According to McManus, “they were not allowed in because they were inebriated.”

The shooting comes four years after one of the worst mass shootings in modern U.S. history and the deadliest acts of violence against the LGTBQ community that claimed 49 lives at Florida gay bar, PULSE. On Friday morning, people across the state observed a moment of silence to honor the victims of gun violence, with Gov. Ron DeSantis signing a proclamation declaring June 12 as “Pulse Remembrance Day,” in memory of those killed during a mass shooting at the popular LGBTQ+ nightclub venue in Orlando in 2016. CNN reports the proclamation ordered all flags to be at half-mast, with Floridians marking the date with a moment of silence at 9 a.m. ET.