Authorities are providing new details in a Johnstown shooting over the weekend that left one dead and another injured. Officials say there does not seem to be a connection between the suspect and the victims and the motive of the shooting appears to be a result of a mostly verbal fight outside Liquid Currency bar in Cambria City.
Investigators say a shooting outside a Johnstown bar early Saturday morning left one man wounded and killed 21-year-old Caleb Beppler. Authorities identify the injured man as Beppler’s cousin Desmond Louder. District Attorney Greg Neugebauer saying: “It began as a verbal dispute inside Liquid Currency between one of the Bar Owners and Mr. Beppler.” They say the fight moved outside and remained mostly verbal, but say it was briefly physical between Louder and the Bar Owner. Officials say Dirk Jones came out of Liquid Currency bar with a handgun, firing seven shots toward the group. Neugebauer adding: “Obviously, he was clearly shooting in the direction of the two people that were shot.”
Investigators say Louder was hit in the leg. They say Jones fled the scene, but he was identified quickly thanks to several witnesses. Neugebauer saying: “We were able to very quickly, really within a few hours of the incident, know the person that we were looking for.” Officials say the motive remains relatively unclear. They say it seems to be a result of the fight and that Jones quote “Took matters into his own hands.” Neugebauer adding: “We don’t have any evidence to suggest that the suspect knew the victims at this point. Based on the evidence we have, this was completely senseless. And unnecessary. And inexcusable. A young man died for no reason.”
We asked why people would have been outside that bar at that hour, and here is what the DA had to say. Neugebauer replied: “That’s a very good question, why people were at a bar at 3:30 in the morning. That’s a very good question. And that’s something, obviously there’s a Liquor Control Enforcement side of this that obviously I would defer to them for any of those types of questions, but people aren’t supposed to be at bars at 3:30 in the morning.”
The Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement says they’re working with Johnstown Police on an active investigation into Liquid Currency. Investigators say an arrest has not yet been made, but a Warrent is out for 42-year-old Dirk Jones on charges headlined by Murder.