Witnesses Saw Two Men Get Into Altercation Before Shooting At Arden Arcade Planet Fitness
ARDEN ARCADE (CBS13) — The investigation into the shooting at a Sacramento-area gym is continuing.
It happened Sunday afternoon at the Planet Fitness location at Country Club Plaza.
According to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded in time to arrest the alleged shooter, who was identified as Abdul Ghafoori, 33. One person was injured in the shooting but is expected to survive.
Eyewitnesses say two men got into an altercation, then a gunshot was heard.
"I was trying not to think it was that, but then I saw a little bit of debris pop come up from the ground," said witness Joe Tapia.
No possible motive for the shooting has been released by investigators.
"I just don't understand how a gun was brought into the gym," explained gym member Alexander Price.
Gym goers were still in shock a day after the shooting.
"If it happened outside, that is still not OK, but to know that it happened inside and to know that I could've been shot at just for trying to workout is not OK," said Price.
Sameer Ahmed is friends with the victim and explains the shooting was prompted by an argument. Sameer was with the victim at the gym an hour before the shooting.
"He told him 'Hey, I wasn't looking at you, I'm just looking around.' And the guy, he wanted to get physical, so after he threw the first punch. My friend, the victim, in self-defense punched the guy," he explained.
Ahmed claims that after the fight ended, Ghafoori walked away and came back with a gun and shot his friend in the leg. According to Ahmed, the victim and suspect did not have any prior bad history between the two of them.
"It's ridiculous, why would you risk killing someone over starring out you, it's ridiculous, not worth it," he said.
Ghafoori's family told CBS13 that he applied for a job at the gym recently and works out there daily. They say the father of two with another on the way came back to the house Sunday with a bruise above his eye and didn't tell them about the shooting before he was arrested.
Ghafoori has previous arrests for domestic violence and false imprisonment. He is now facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon and concealing a firearm. Ghafoori is expected to make his first court appearance Wednesday.
