Arlington shop owner arrested after fatally shooting employee who’d been fired, police say

An Arlington business owner faces a murder charge after he fatally shot an employee who had just been fired Tuesday afternoon, police said.

Police arrested Javier Arredondo, 42, and booked him into the Arlington City Jail. Tarrant County court records show his bail has not yet been set, and it’s not clear if he has an attorney.

A little after 2 p.m. Tuesday, Arlington police received a 911 call from Arredondo in the 900 block of West Division Street asking for help with an employee he had just fired who was refusing to leave the store, the department said in a news release. As officers were on their way, they received reports of shots fired at the store.

According to an arrest-warrant affidavit, officers were dispatched to Vato Loco Tattoo Studio in response to a dispute between the employee and Arredondo, the shop’s owner.

Officers learned Arredondo and the employee had a tense verbal exchange after the employee was fired. Minutes after making the 911 call, police said, Arredondo pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots at the employee.

Witnesses told police the employee was angry about his firing and demanded a final paycheck from Arredondo, the affidavit states. The man became more aggressive toward Arredondo, witnesses said, and Arredondo directed his employees to leave through the back door and call police.

Arredondo told police he fired the employee based on an incident the week before, the affidavit states. After the employee demanded his last paycheck, Arredondo agreed to pay him on Friday, he told police, and said the worker became “more aggressive, began shaking the display case and knocking items off the counter.”

He told officers he feared the employee would harm him, so he he drew his gun and shot him three times, the affidavit states. A detective on scene asked Arredondo to explain what actions by the employee made him afraid, but Arredondo repeated that he was just “in fear.” He told police the employee never made any threats, showed any weapon or made any physical contact with him.

“Arredondo provided no provision under the law that would have allowed the use of deadly force to protect himself or any innocent third party,” police wrote in the affidavit. “[A detective] attempted a second time for Arredondo to justify his use of deadly force to defend himself, and Arredondo refused to cooperate further with any questioning.”

The Tarrant County medical examiner’s office will identify the employee once his next of kin has been notified, police said.