Shots fired call at La Grange trail ride leads to arrest: sheriff
LA GRANGE, Texas - A shots fired call at a La Grange trail ride ended in the arrest of an Elgin man, says the Fayette County Sheriff's Office.
On June 23 at around 1 a.m., deputies responded to the 6000 block of Munke Road near FM 3233 regarding shots fired at a large gathering following a trail ride by the Capital City Trail-Riders.
One nearby deputy reported hearing five to seven rapid-fire gunshots coming from the party, says FCSO. While deputies responded to his call for backup, multiple witnesses at the scene called 911 and reported the shots and a fight in progress.
Within seconds of the first deputy's arrival, armed security at the event had already detained the shooter and took away his firearm, says FCSO. More deputies arrived and ended the party.
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Kavion Joiner (Fayette County Sheriff's Office)
25-year-old Kavion Joiner of Elgin was arrested and has been charged with disorderly conduct by way of brandishing and discharging a firearm in public, criminal trespassing with a firearm and failing to depart after receiving notice.
Joiner remains in custody at the Dan R. Beck Justice Center where he is awaiting arraignment, says FCSO.
"Our guys were there within minutes. Fayette County is a large county, but the point on that, too, is they reacted the way they were supposed to, the way they were trained to. It could have got a lot worse, even with the security they had out there doing what they did. If our guys weren't there on the spot as soon as they were, it could've ended up worse. You just never know," Lt. David Beyer with FCSO said.
Investigators say other people may have had guns at the event, but they're confident Joiner was the only one who fired shots.
They were also anticipating the event, since it's been held in Fayette County before.
"Last time we had some issues, them tearing up property, doing different things, had a lot of landowners call us after the fact and told us about it, so we were prepared," Beyer said.
When it comes to preventing tragedy, Beyer uses this analogy.
"A drunk driver, if they get arrested for driving intoxicated, you might have saved that person's life or saved someone else's life by that. You don't ever get to see the future of what you just may have prevented, and that's the same in incidences such as these," he said.