A mass shooting at a Houston sports bar led to the arrest of Jose Miguel Briceno, a Venezuelan national now facing charges of aggravated assault.
Briceno was arrested and issued a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer following a mass shooting early Sunday morning that left six people hospitalized.
An ICE detainer, also known as an “immigration hold,” is a written request to a state or local law enforcement agency asking to be notified when an individual will be released from custody. It also asks the agency to detain the individual for up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release date to allow ICE time to take them into federal custody for removal proceedings.
Briceno’s bond was set at $1,000,000 on Monday with conditions requiring him to remain at least 200 feet away from the residences, schools, and workplaces of those injured in the shooting.
Authorities suspect that a second individual involved in the incident may have fled to Mexico.
According to officials, Briceno opened fire into the entryway of Latina’s Sports Bar in Houston, injuring four people critically—three males and one female—while two others suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Briceno was convicted in 2023 for a misdemeanor charge of assault causing bodily injury to a family member in Montgomery County. He was sentenced to 40 days in jail but was not placed on an ICE hold following that arrest.
The shooting took place at 3 a.m., a time when alcohol sales are prohibited in Texas, according to the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission (TABC).
According to the landlord, the tenants and owners of Latina’s Sports Bar moved out on Tuesday, but no criminal charges have been filed against them.
This incident comes less than two weeks after a multi-agency operation resulted in 14 arrests at a northwest Houston club. Authorities claimed the club lacked the necessary licenses and permits to operate.
On March 20, TABC and ICE shut down another Houston bar after reports suggested that up to 25 human trafficking victims frequented the establishment, with multiple arrests and ICE detainments.
These ongoing issues were first raised after a 2023 shooting that left six people injured. At the time, local elected officials expressed concerns about the loophole that allowed BYOB (bring your own beer) establishments to remain open.
In response, the Houston City Council passed an ordinance requiring special permits and the implementation of safety features in order for these businesses to stay open.
In response to the shooting on Sunday, Houston Police Department Assistant Chief James Skelton remarked, “Establishments like this that harbor within our city contribute to crime. We are targeting these locations, and we’re going to shut them down because they harbor DWIs and assaults, and that’s exactly what we saw here tonight.”
