Gunfire Erupts at Another Trail Ride After-Party

For the third time in less than a year, gunfire erupted at a late-night afterparty following a trail ride in Fayette County. This time, thankfully, the victim survived.

The shooting took place at R.C. Pavilion, a private event venue off Munke Rd. in Cozy Corner. It happened around 11:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, according to Lt. David Beyer of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office.

Beyer said deputies just so happened to be working security at a family reunion that took place at a private property next to R.C. Pavilion. Beyer said the two events were not connected. However, due to the close proximity, deputies responded to the shooting very quickly.

Fayette County EMS also arrived. The first responders located a male victim in his early 20s with a gunshot wound to his leg. Fayette County EMS transported him for hospital treatment. Beyer said the victim is expected to recover.

Beyer said deputies had not yet arrested a suspect for the shooting as of Sunday afternoon. He said deputies were busy investigating the case, and he hoped to have an update later this week.

Deputies did make other arrests at the Pavilion Saturday night unrelated to the shooting, Beyer said. He said some of the individuals arrested were identified as criminal gang members.

A promotional poster for the event this weekend called it “Reloaded 4th of July Campout and Trail Ride.” Admission was $20.

This case marks the third time in the past year that gunfire erupted during late-night parties following trail rides. The last two ended with homicides.

On Sept. 28 of last year, 19-year-old Andrew Dewayne Webb Jr. of Houston was shot and killed at the Real Deal Family Reunion Trail Ride in Nechanitz. Law enforcement identified a possible suspect who was later arrested on an unrelated charge in Harris County. That person remains in custody for other criminal matters, but so far, he has not been charged for the homicide in Fayette County.

Then on April 26 of this year, 24-year-old Alzavier Hall of Snook died from gunshot wounds suffered at the same venue as this weekend’s shooting – R.C. Pavilion on Munke Rd. Back in May, a Fayette County Grand Jury indicted 19-year-old Robert Earl Crawford III of Somerville for Hall’s murder. Crawford was also indicted for aggravated assault in connection with a mass shooting, a second degree felony.

In each case, the event promoters hired private security. Beyer said the promoters of the event in Cozy Corner this weekend had about 17 or 18 security guards on site.

In all three cases, the trail rides that preceded the shootings were peaceful. These events draw thousands of people who celebrate the tradition of African-American cowboy culture with horseback rides through the countryside followed by overnight camping with cookouts and live music. In the case of the Real Deal Family Reunion last year, there were some accidental injuries and traffic issues associated with the trail ride. But there and at the two incidents in Cozy Corner, the shootings took place late at night during parties that followed.

“It’s giving these trail rides a bad name,” Beyer said.

“This puts a strain on our EMS and law enforcement,” he added. “These shootings keep occurring and its costing taxpayers money. We have to call in deputies and pay them comp-time. It’s costing taxpayers to prosecute these cases. We got lucky again, but one of these times an officer is going to get injured.”