KPD identifies victims in fatal Alcoa Highway nightclub shooting

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - One man is dead and two are injured after officials responded to a deadly shooting early Sunday morning, Knoxville Police Department spokesperson Scott Erland said. In a later update, KPD officials identified the dead victim as Pablo Roberto Nunez Acosta, 32. Of the other two victims, Joel Canales, 28, and Anderson Sanchez, 21, Sanchez is at the University of Tennessee Medical Center being treated in critical condition.

At around 2:30 a.m., police crews responded to El Pulpo Loco at 2909 Alcoa Highway after reports of a shooting with multiple victims. Erland said when officers arrived, they found two men suffering from gunshot wounds in the parking lot. Acosta was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Erland, and the other was transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center with “life-threatening” injuries.

While officers were still on the scene, another man, Canales, showed up at a hospital in the area with another gunshot wound. Erland said his injuries were not life-threatening.

KPD officers said they found possible witnesses and transported them to the Safety Building for questioning.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165 or online.

This comes after a shooting at El Pulpo Loco on Sept. 26 sent multiple people to the hospital.

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