HOUSTON, TX – An intense ordeal unfolded earlier this month at a southwest Houston hookah bar, where a casual birthday party took a drastic turn. A bystander was tragically killed after a quarrel erupted amidst the celebration, according to court records.
The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 10, at the Vegas Hookah Bar and Grill located off the Southwest Freeway near Beltway 8.
The alleged culprit, Shanil Pradia, 27, was reportedly the ex-boyfriend of the woman celebrating her birthday. Court documents entail that Pradia turned up at the bar with another woman, infuriating the birthday girl’s sister. The situation escalated as Pradia allegedly punched the sister, sparking an altercation.
As patrons began to exit the establishment after the dispute, visuals captured by the security cameras depicted Pradia in the parking lot, discharging a pistol approximately ten times before it emptied. He then reportedly pulled out a second pistol, firing eight more rounds.
In the ensuing chaos, a bystander was shot and killed, with a bullet striking her head. Another individual, the brother of the birthday celebrant, sustained a shoulder injury. Police identified Pradia as the shooter in the charging documents.
Pradia faces charges of murder, aggravated assault involving a deadly weapon, and illegal firearm possession by a felon.