A couple of Phoenix strip clubs turned into war zones over the Christmas weekend as homicidal gunmen shot up the joints in two separate attacks.
A bouncer and club patron at Great Alaskan Bush Company, 2900 Northwest Grand Avenue, were killed in Sunday night's attack by an as-of-yet unnamed suspect, described by police as a 28-year-old white man.
Cops say the maniac walked into the club at about 11:30 p.m. and started shooting. He didn't stop till he ran out of ammo, at which time he was tackled and held by people at the club. By then, four people had been hit, including a bouncer and three patrons, says a police e-mail. (News media are reporting that one of the victims was a topless dancer, who was shot in the arm.)
Bouncer Adam Troy Cooley, 34, and a patron, 20-year-old Antonio Garcia, died of their wounds, police say. The suspect is being interviewed by police this morning.
Saturday's shooting at ChiChi's Cabaret, 4516 North 19th Avenue, turned out much better for almost all involved.
In that case, 22-year-old Tekina Latu -- a "Polynesian male," according to police -- was upset after bouncers broke up a fight between two groups at about 1 a.m. He returned to the club with a handgun and opened fire on a bouncer, hitting the man several times. The bouncer, who'd been wearing body armor, pulled out his gun and shot Latu. The shooter then ran out of ChiChi's -- but was run over by one of the panicked motorists leaving the parking lot, police say.
Relatives took Latu to a hospital, where he died. Yeah, we know -- you're broken-hearted.
With luck, this'll mark the end of a one-weekend trend.
UPDATE: Phoenix police have identified the suspect in the Great Alaskan Bush Company shooting as Gavin MacFarlane, 28, of Scottsdale. We'll post his mug shot when it's available.
