Concealed carry permit holder hailed a hero after shooting, killing gunman inside bar



ARLINGTON, Texas -- A customer with a concealed carry permit shot and killed an alleged gunman inside a bar in Arlington, Texas on Wednesday, May 3rd.

Just after 6:00 p.m., police were called to Zona Caliente on South Cooper Street in Arlington.

There, police said 48-year-old James Jones, who had a gun and two knives, shot the manager of the bar, 37-year-old Cesar Perez before being shot by a customer who has a conceal and carry handgun license.

On Thursday, police expanded on what exactly happened when Jones went into the bar. They said he was yelling incoherently, and that's when Perez walked over to try to calm him down. Police said at that point, Jones shot Perez in the head.

That's when the concealed carry permit holder stepped up, told his wife to hide and then shot and killed Jones.

One question some had after this incident is whether a person can carry in a bar. The answer is, it depends. In this case, the answer is yes.

"Right now, just with the preliminary information we have, it definitely sounds like that individual tried to do the right thing to prevent further loss of life," said Lt. Christopher Cook with the Arlington Police Department.

Investigators are looking into whether alcohol and/or drug use, as well as mental health, were factors in the initial shooting.

Police questioned the concealed carry permit holder before he was ultimately released. His name hasn't been released, but a lot of people have called him a hero, because who knows what would have happened if he hadn't been there.

The life of the bar manager, Cesar Perez, was remembered during a vigil.

"He was just a great man and would take care of me all the time and he would always say 'Hey Mijo, how you doing?' 'I'm doing great, tio. How are you?' And just a lot of meaning behind what he told me. He really cared," said Sebastian Garcias. "He was a great man and he will never be forgotten."

The investigation is ongoing.