Modestan killed in bar shooting

A Modesto man was killed and his brother critically injured after a south Modesto bar fight ended in gunfire early Monday, Stanislaus County sheriff's officials said.

Investigators searched for the suspected gunman but had not arrested anyone Monday night.

Three men got into an argument inside The Ranch Bar and Grill in the 1000 block of South Ninth Street about 10 minutes after midnight, Sgt. Mike Parker said.

One of the men pulled a handgun and fired several rounds, hitting the other two, he said.

Witnesses described the shooter vaguely as tall and heavy-set with a dark complexion, Parker said.

Detectives believe the shooter goes by the street name of Pantera, or Panther, officials said.

Javier Acevedo Gonzalez, 27, of Modesto, was killed in the shooting.

His brother, Jose Adan Acevedo Gonzalez, 22, of Modesto, was in critical condition at a Modesto hospital; officials would not reveal which one.

"We don't want the suspect to know because we don't want him coming back and trying to finish the job," Parker said.

A third victim, a woman, was hit in the leg by a bullet that went through a wooden chair, Parker said.

She suffered minor wounds and was treated and released from a local hospital, Parker said. Officials did not release her name. "She was an innocent bystander," Parker said.

Investigators questioned witnesses Monday, Parker said.

"At this point, there is no indication this was gang-related," Parker said. "It appears to be a bar fight that went way overboard."

The shooting comes three days after a drive-by shooting in west Modesto that left Salvador Macias, 24, in critical condition.

A bullet fired from a white Honda hit and killed a small dog Macias was holding, then struck Macias in the chest, police said.

Macias remained in critical condition at Doctors Medical Center on Monday, officer Rick Applegate said.

Police are not saying whether the drive-by was gang-related.

Another man was killed March 23 near a strip mall in the 1600 block of Crows Landing Road.

Jair Garcia, 18, of Modesto, was shot multiple times in a noontime shooting, officials said.

Several witnesses reported seeing a white, older convertible Ford Mustang with a black top leaving the scene shortly after the shots were fired.

Investigators ask anyone with information regarding Monday's shooting to call Detective Marc Nuno at 525-7081.

This story was originally published April 4, 2006 at 7:23 PM with the headline "Modestan killed in bar shooting."