Victims of Nightclub Shooting Awarded $1.3 Million

Jurors Thursday awarded $1.3 million to victims of a bizarre gunfight between a nightclub singer and a patron who pulled weapons and began shooting during a 1992 performance.

Anna Carranza, whose 20-year-old husband was killed in the exchange of gunfire at Plaza Los Arcos in Coachella, was awarded $744,408 of the total.

Eight people were hit by bullets. They were among 400 people dancing and listening to the music of popular Mexican singer Marcelino (Chalino) Sanchez when the gunfire began. While Sanchez, 31, was on stage, Edward Alvarado Gallegos, 34, of Thermal allegedly pulled out a gun and shot the singer, who drew his own concealed weapon and returned fire.

Jurors in the case found that the club owner and a security agency were negligent in, among other things, failing to use metal detectors at the doors to check for weapons.

Gallegos faces trial June 28 for Carranza’s murder. Sanchez was found shot to death in Mexico several months after the incident.