Arizona Strip Club Shooting: Gavin MacFarlane Charged with Two Murders, Seven Felonies
PHOENIX (CBS/AP) Gavin MacFarlane, the Scottsdale man accused of fatally shooting two people and injuring three others at a Phoenix strip club last month, has been charged with seven felonies, including first-degree murder.
MacFarlane told police that he went to the Great Alaskan Bush Company shortly before midnight on Dec. 26 intending to shoot the first people he came into contact with as part of a plan, according to a probable cause statement released by Maricopa County Superior Court and obtained by Phoenix police.
In addition to the two-counts of first-degree murder, the 28-year-old is charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder, and one count each of aggravated assault and burglary.
If convicted of first-degree murder, MacFarlane, who is being held in the psychiatric unit at the county jail, could face the death penalty. He is being held on a $2 million bond.
Bar owner Damien Hartze said MacFarlane had been inside the bar as a patron and had barely had a sip of his beer before he retreated to his car to retrieve a .38 caliber revolver. When MacFarlane returned, he allegedly began shooting at random people just inside the bar's entryway.
Adam Troy Cooley, 34, a security guard at the club, was shot and killed. A club patron, Antonio Garcia, 20, also died. A 22-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman, both at the club with Garcia, were wounded.
Once the gunman realized he was out of ammunition, authorities say he proceeded to physically attack a fifth victim.
Other patrons were able to tackle MacFarlane to the ground.
Police say they have reason to believe that MacFarlane may have shot even more people if he had not run out of ammunition.
Although there is no clear motive for the attack, investigators say MacFarlane admitted he knew what he did was wrong, but he felt compelled to do it anyway.
"He just went out of the house to cause destruction and kill people," Hartze said. "This guy was just nuts."
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