SAN ANTONIO - A South Side strip club's bouncer was fatally shot early Thursday after an unwelcome customer was thrown out of the establishment and then returned with a gun, police said.
Frank Bernard Lurati Jr., 24, was shot twice around midnight at the MVP Club in the 3700 block of Roosevelt.
Lurati's family said he had only been working at the club for two weeks, and they didn't want him to work there.
"He was looking for a job and nothing was panning out the way that he wanted it to, and taking the job at the club was really just a last resort for him, because he knew he needed the income to come in," Lurati's sister, Tanya Gutierrez, said.
She said he needed the money to take care of his three kids.
"It's unfortunate that young people like my brother have to go that route to make a living and end up potentially losing their life because of it," Gutierrez said.
Police say a customer believed to be in his mid-20s got into an argument with Lurati, then left the club saying he'd be back.
Twenty minutes later, the man returned and opened fire, hitting Lurati once in the chest and once in the groin.
People at the club say the shooter was a regular, and he was also tossed out two weeks ago.
"For someone to just be vengeful and just have this grudge against him and just kill him for no reason, it's just really hard right now," Gutierrez said.
Police collected a beer can from the club that might give them more information about the shooter's identity.
Lurati's family has set up a memorial fund in his name to help cover funeral expenses.
At the club I frequented, the bouncers always used speaking and "crowding them out the door" I guess is the best way to describe it when the intimidation factor didn't work. They rarely had problems. They also were not complete dicks like some other places (not strip clubs) I have been. If they asked ya they explained why they were asking.
For example, once I stood in front of the DJ's window (not thinking and a newbie.) One simply came up and asked me "Would you move so the DJ can see if the girls are coming or going on the stage?" A request and a reason. It is pretty hard to start a fight over that. They could have went into a security force and made better money if ya ask me.
At a drinking bar, some bouncer came up and told my friend to move for no reason - looked mostly like application of authority than anything reasonable. I believed it was. I was ex-military (as well my friends) and certainly willing to take some bruisin to give some bruisin - especially since I didn't have to worry about MPs anymore.
This bouncer who got shot sounded new, probably had no training other than being "a tough guy" - and I am betting he handled the situation with the wrong guy most definitely the wrong way. I think a lot of security at strip clubs are bruisers who shoot their mouths off and throw people around. Ya can't do that these days.