La Tardeada, a bar in the Deep Ellum entertainment district of Dallas, temporarily shut down after a deadly shooting on May 5 that left 26-year-old security guard Joseph Gray dead and led to the arrest of 23-year-old Detorius Tarver; the establishment issued a statement and Dallas police continue to investigate separate and related incidents that night.
La Tardeada confirmed it would suspend operations while law enforcement conducts its investigation and the staff and community process the loss. “In the wake of this tragedy, La Tardeada has temporarily suspended operations to support the investigation and allow our staff and community time to grieve,” the statement reads. The bar also offered prayers and condolences for the victim’s loved ones.
“We extend our deepest condolences and prayers to his family, friends, colleagues, and all who knew and cared for him.”
Dallas Police responded to multiple calls in the Deep Ellum area the night of May 5, and around 12:30 a.m. they were alerted to a second shooting on the 2800 block of Elm Street. Investigators say the later incident happened inside La Tardeada after a disturbance. That clash ended with a security guard shot and other patrons and staff scrambling for safety.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, 23-year-old Detorius Tarver became involved in a physical altercation inside the bar and the guard, identified as Joseph Gray, intervened to break up the fight. Investigators believe Tarver produced a handgun and fired at Gray at point-blank range, fatally wounding him. Other security guards reportedly tackled Tarver immediately after the shooting and kept him restrained until officers arrived.
Police say they recovered the handgun on Tarver and that he confessed to the shooting during questioning, material cited in the affidavit states. Tarver has been charged with murder and remains in custody at the Dallas County Jail. Authorities continue to process evidence and interview witnesses as part of the investigation.
The same night included an earlier, separate shooting on Commerce Street that sent five people to the hospital, a reminder of how a single night in a busy entertainment district can turn deadly. Dallas Police were already on scene for that earlier incident when they were notified about the shooting at Elm Street. The back-to-back events have left neighbors and business owners shaken and demanding answers about safety in Deep Ellum.
Family members of the slain guard described him as hardworking and devoted, and they say he had picked up an extra shift that night to make additional money. His sister, identified only as Smith in police reports, urged people to remember his character and the life he had hoped to build. “Just know he was a good man. He cared about his family, and he was a hard worker,” Smith said. “All he wanted to be was a father, and now he can’t even be one.”
La Tardeada’s decision to pause operations reflects a desire to cooperate with police and offer staff time to grieve without further public activity on the premises. City officials and the bar’s management have not announced a timeline for reopening, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. Meanwhile investigators continue to sort witness statements, video footage, and forensic evidence gathered at the scene.
Community leaders and nearby businesses in Deep Ellum have said they want clearer answers about how to prevent similar violence in the future and how to better protect patrons and workers. Police stress that arrests and charges are just one phase of a broader effort to understand and reduce gun violence in crowded entertainment districts. Residents and patrons say they expect local law enforcement and city officials to follow through with concrete steps to improve public safety.
As the legal case proceeds, the criminal complaint and arrest affidavit will play a central role in the prosecution, and prosecutors will review the statements and physical evidence collected by Dallas Police. The bar has offered support to its employees and to the victim’s family while resisting speculation about motive or broader causes. For now, Deep Ellum remains on edge as investigators piece together a timeline and the courts prepare to move forward on the murder charge against Tarver.
