A mass shooting outside Bodega’s nightclub in Amarillo, Texas left one person dead and eight others injured after a suspect fired into a crowd with a rifle during the early morning hours of January 26, 2025.
Multiple 911 calls flooded the Amarillo Police Department dispatch center at approximately 2:05 a.m., reporting an active shooter at the nightclub located on the 700 block of South Polk Street in downtown Amarillo. According to police reports and witness statements, a vehicle approached the nightclub entrance, and a suspect emerged with a rifle, opening fire into a large crowd gathered outside before returning to the car and fleeing the scene.
John Love Louima, 25, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds, was rushed to a local hospital where medical personnel attempted life-saving measures, but he later died from his injuries. The current medical conditions of the eight other gunshot victims, who were transported to various local hospitals, have not been disclosed by authorities.
In a crucial development that led to swift arrests, a witness who observed the shooting followed the suspects’ vehicle at a safe distance while maintaining contact with emergency dispatchers. This witness’ detailed information about the vehicle’s location and direction of travel enabled law enforcement to coordinate a response and intercept the suspects. Robert Kenney Knox, 23, identified as the shooter, and Nahryah Hilesta Ines Hayes, 21, the driver, are both residents of Amarillo. A third suspect, Britt Brinson Cave, 22, was in the backseat of the vehicle at the time of arrest.
The Amarillo Police Department filed multiple serious charges in the case. Knox and Hayes each face one count of murder and eight counts of deadly conduct/discharge of a firearm. Cave was charged with public intoxication. The mugshots of two of the three arrested individuals have not been released to the public.
The crime scene investigation yielded significant evidence. Officers recovered the rifle used in the shooting, multiple shell casings scattered across the scene, and other items connected to the crime. The police investigation revealed that the shooting was not random but stemmed from a specific altercation inside the bar. According to detailed police statements, the suspects were involved in a dispute inside the establishment, left the premises, and then returned approximately 15 minutes later. At that point, Knox allegedly opened fire on the crowd.
While this tragic event has shaken the Amarillo community, it is not entirely without precedent in the area. Amarillo experiences a notably high rate of violent crime compared to both state and national averages. In 2022, the city’s violent crime rate was 763 incidents per 100,000 residents, approximately 106% higher than the national average of 370 per 100,000. This elevated rate includes offenses such as murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.
Despite being the 14th largest city in Texas, Amarillo was ranked as the fourth most violent city in the state in 2022. Factors such as hybrid gang activity, poverty, addiction, and boredom have been cited as contributors to this high level of crime. Mass shootings, while not daily occurrences, have happened in Amarillo.
A 2022 shooting at a local nightclub resulted in one death and four injuries, and in 2023, an argument at a private party escalated into a shooting that left two dead and five injured. These incidents highlight that while mass shootings are relatively rare, they do occur in the area, reflecting broader trends in violent crime.
The Amarillo Police Department’s Homicide Unit, leading the investigation, has established a clear timeline of events beginning with the initial altercation inside Bodega’s. Law enforcement officials have secured surveillance footage from the nightclub’s internal security system and surrounding businesses’ cameras. They are particularly interested in video documentation of the initial dispute inside the establishment and the subsequent shooting outside.
Police are urging anyone with cell phone videos, social media posts, or other documentation of either the dispute inside the bar or the shooting to contact the Amarillo Police Department’s Homicide Unit.
