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Austin Police are searching for a man who opened fire in a crowded nightclub during a New Year's Eve celebration.

Two teenagers were shot during the fight at the Terminal 6 Club at 302 E. 6th Street in Downtown Austin.

"Austin Police responded to a shots fired call. They actually heard the shots being fired," said Detective Veneza Bremner with APD.

The New Year's Eve celebration turned violent just after midnight.

"There was some sort of disturbance between several people and then shots rang out and everybody scattered from there," said Bremner.

Terminal 6 allows guests 18 and up into the dance club and the two shooting victims are both 19-years-old.


Police describe the female victim as a "bystander" who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"He shot in a very crowded nightclub on New Year's Day, and luckily only struck two people and the injuries weren't serious enough to kill anybody," said Bremner.

The Terminal 6 club on East 6th Street was shut down immediately after the shooting and it is not expected to reopen.

A couple of other shooting incidents have occurred at or near the club over the past two years.

But the president of the East 6th Street Community Association says the entertainment district is comparatively safe when you look at the numbers.

"You have so many people clustered in a small area so you have greater incidents. You can't compare it to any other area in Austin," said Bob Woody, president of the East 6th Street Community Association.

Woody has been a downtown business owner for 35 years.

"To point a finger at Terminal 6 is a mistake. The guy with the gun is the bad guy. He's the bad guy. He's the problem. Not the club, him," said Woody.


Austin Police and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission are investigating the shooting which happened inside the dance club. Until the investigation is complete Woody says there is one possible solution that worked in the past.

"Years ago, we used to staff our front doors with a police officer at the front door. We did that. We could go back to that. It might make a difference," said Woody.

Thursday afternoon Austin Police released a description of a suspect in the shootings:
  • Black male
  • Mid 20s to mid-30s
  • Between 5'07" to 6'
  • 160 to 180 pounds
  • Long black dreadlocks
  • Trimmed beard
  • Last seen wearing a multi-colored, long-sleeved shirt