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Shooting claims three lives in restaurantby Phil MacKaronThree Kerrville people were killed and two critically injured at 8:30 Wednesday evening in the Acapulco Restaurant following a shooting attack by a 39 year old Kerrville contractor.Ronald Dan Young faces charges on three counts of murder, following the shooting of his ex-wife Phyllis Young, 36, her boy friend Ernest Robert Hneidy, 42, and Hneidy’s father, Ernest Hneidy, Sr., 73 while they were eating in the back dining room of a crowded restaurant.Also shot was Robert Smith, 40, of Mesa, Arizona, who was eating at a table beside the other party’s. Smith, who was shot in the lower back, re-ihains'in critical condition at Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital.According to eyewitness accounts, after firing several shots with a .12 gauge pump actionshotgun, Young reloaded and shot himself in the stomach. Witness and police reports indicate Young fell to the ground dropping the gun and then asked spectators to shoot him while reaching for the gun on the floor.Also present at the table but not injured were two children, Young’s and Hneidy’s daughters.According to police spokesmen, Young entered the restaurant a first time, asking where the Hneidy-Young party was seated. The restaurant Hostess told police Young appeared to be mad when he left. When he returned the second time, shortly after, Young walked quickly to their table, the hostess shouting, He has a gun.”Police reported to the scene in force, after Patrolman Ed Johnston reported for the first call.We wanted to keep the people calm and keep the scene,” said Chief Detective Danny Cortez, therestaurant was packed and we wanted to keep everyone there, where they were sitting.”Cortez explained that the 40'to 50 people present were all potential witnesses and each person had to be identified before the area could be cleared. He added that police remained at the area for 3-4 hours documenting the scene.Although police declined to state a motive for the shootings, they do feel they have an accurate picture of the incident.There is no doubt what happened,” said Lonnie Agold who recorded evidence at the scene. He said that Young shot toward the east wall of the back dining room where the group was seated.We found pellets in the wall 35 feet away,” said Agold, indicating that a large gauge” shot wasused.It’s incredible that no one else was shot,” commented Cortez who explained that with that many people in the room, the powerful shot could easily have ricocheted and hit other bystanders. Smith, the one bystander hit, did manage to crawl to the front dining room adjacent to the room where the shooting took place. Other spectators crawled under tables, and one man managed to escape through the front door in an attempt to stop passing cars to notify police.Police officials commented that Young’scharges were to bepresented to the 198th grand jury Friday although Cortez said it would be unlikely that a case such as this would be tried in Kerrville. Cortez also commented that police are currently investigating the incident to find a motive; although theories were developed,no formal statement of motive was made by police.
Newspaper Details
Kerrville Mountain Sun
Kerrville, Texas, US
Sat, Feb 05, 1983
Page 9
Full Page
Clipped by
Belinda F.
TX, USA 02 Aug 2020
Other Publications Near Kerrville, Texas
Kerrville Times
Hill View Times
Kerrville Mountain Sun
Kerrville Daily Times
