Man facing attempted murder charge after shooting at hookah bar in Highlands
A Louisville man was arrested after a shooting Monday night at Friends Hookah Bar.
Louisville Metro Police responded to the 1000 block of Bardstown Road around 10:30 p.m. Monday.
Jalen Barbee-Tobin, 23, was arrested and charged with attempted murder.
According to an arrest slip, Barbee-Tobin and the victim were arguing when Barbee-Tobin pulled out a gun and shot the victim.
"I heard the gunshot and I saw a flash out of the corner of my eye, and I turned, and all I saw was him kind of back up and put his hand on his chest," a witness said.
Police said the two men were calling each other names when Barbee-Tobin shot the victim.
"But it was like joking. It didn't seem like they were actually mad at each other," the witness said. "We joke around a lot and that's something we do is, we kind of poke each other. We say 'licks' and then we'll fake punch at each other, that kind of thing. It really didn't seem like a big deal at the time."
Friends said Barbee-Tobin immediately rushed to help the victim, and officials said he's admitted to the shooting.
"I think it was an accident from the way I saw it," the witness aid. "He could have had a totally different mindset that I didn't know of, but from what I saw, in my opinion, it seemed like it was an accident."
The victim was rushed to the hospital with critical injuries. His identity is not available at this time.
The witness and some friends visited the victim in the hospital Tuesday. She said the victim and Barbee-Tobin were friends who frequently hung out together.
"Everyone's worried. We all showed up at the hospital last night, filled up the whole room," the witness said. "Everybody was hoping and praying for him."
The shooting remains under investigation.