New Year's Eve Party Becomes Nightmare for One San Angelo Family

Please be advised that some of the images in this story may be considered "graphic."

Sophia Bara, 34, is someone family and friends describe as “sweet” and “loving.” They believe that nature goes well with her petite stature. She’s an active mother of two boys, works at a local hospital, and believes strongly in family—a family that has suffered some strenuous issues in the past few years.

So when her face graced the cover of San Angelo media sites, including San Angelo LIVE! for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, the people who know the woman were in “shock.”

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Above: Sophia Bara (TGCJ) (Original story)

“Wow…nope…[I don’t know] the situation, but she was the sweetest person I ever knew in school,” said Francisco NINERNATION Porras on a San Angelo LIVE! Facebook page post of the original story.

Gracie Duran said, “Has to be the alcohol. She’s too sweet or taking the blame for someone. Prayers for her and her family.”

Although it’s not uncommon for friends and family members to come forward and claim someone’s innocence after a major crime on social media, family, friends and neighbors of Bara came forward to go on the record in her defense.

According to San Angelo Police reports, Bara, a San Angelo native, was arrested on New Year’s for grabbing a firearm from her husband and threatening family members during a family fight in Bara’s front yard in the 1500 block of North Street. As a result, the firearm discharged and shot a 15-year-old boy in the hand. The boy was a relative of Bara’s, according to the report and witness testimony.

Because of this incident, Bara is facing a felony charge for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, something the woman, who has no criminal record, ever imagined facing.

On the night of her arrest, family members posted a $75,000 Surety Bond, and after spending a day and night crying and wondering where she went wrong, Sophia Bara, her husband and a neighbor who witnessed the fight decided to go on the record and explain what happened.

This explanation cannot change what happened that night, nor can it change what happened to the 15-year-old family member who is recovering after surgery on his hand, but the Baras said they hope it will tell a different side of the story than what has been portrayed in the media so far.

What Happened According to the Husband

Diego Bara, also a man family describe as fun and loving, especially toward his wife and kids, said he gave into his wife’s request on New Year’s Eve to invite over her Aunt Lisa, Lisa's husband, Enrique Muñoz, and their children to enjoy a family get-together.

He said Sophia and the family had not spoken to the couple for over a year—since last Christmas—because they felt that Enrique, whom the family refer to as Ricky, has a history of violence and has started problems at another family member’s house, which is why the family hasn’t talked.

“Sophia wanted to get the family together,” Diego said. “They really didn’t talk to anybody, so we invited them over. We were eating, having fun, and I went to drop my younger brother off. It was about 3:30 to 4 in the morning."

Diego said after he returned to his home, he went to the restroom, and that’s when he heard a commotion.

“I got out of the restroom, and when I got [to the area of the commotion], I saw my brother and Sophia trying to get Ricky, Lisa, the kids and all of them out of the house,” Diego explained. “There was a bunch of yelling and screaming."

Diego noted that Sophia was yelling, “Get out of my house! Stop fighting in my house!"

At that point, Diego said, Ricky began to cuss at Sophia and told her, “This is none of your concern."

Because things started to get out of control, Ricky’s wife begged him, “Let’s go! Let’s go!” However, Diego said that’s when the man started getting verbal with her.

In her aunt’s defense, Sophia yelled at Ricky, ‘Don’t talk to her that way in my house! Get out of my house!"  

Ricky then returned his attention to Sophia, so Diego, in protection of his wife, went to his room to get his shotgun. Ricky is a large man, over 220 pounds, and has a reputation, Diego said. Diego was concerned because he said Ricky was known for his violent temper, so Diego's intention was to protect his family. Diego never took the shotgun out of the room because Ricky's older son had followed him. When the boy saw the shotgun, he pleaded with Diego to allow him to intervene. He assured Diego he would get his dad to leave.

Diego gave into the son's request and put the shotgun away. Instead of leaving, however, Ricky, who was being pushed outside the door by Sophia, Dominic and Diego, and who was being pulled by his wife and son from outside the door, became more persistent in making his way back through it and into the house to go after Diego.

“That’s when I said, ‘I had enough,’ Diego stated. “I went to go retrieve a handgun and came back out. I had it in my back slacks. It wasn’t drawn on anybody. It was in my black slacks, and I had my hand on it to pull it out if I needed to."

In response, Ricky asked Diego, “You really want to do this?” and he pushed his way further back into Diego's house. He managed to make his way in and slammed Sophia against the door.

“That’s when I saw red,” Diego stated. He said after that, things got out of hand and that’s when the accident happened with the 15-year-old boy, Ricky’s younger son, who was also trying to get his dad to leave.

“It happened while we were inside the house facing the outside.” Diego said.

Diego said when they got outside, Ricky, instead of tending to his son, along with his wife’s brother, jumped on him and his brother Dominic.

Throughout the fight, it was two on one, Diego said. He and his brother were both on the ground by the neighbor’s house getting pummeled by hands and feet, so they were simply reacting.  

“I’m just trying to protect my face. All I know is I’m trying to swing. I’m trying to punch. I’m trying anything just to get it away,” Diego said.

Diego added that someone mentioned he swung at a cop, and he acknowledged he may have while reacting; however, he stated he apologized to the officers and tried to explain why he reacted the way he did.

“I was just trying to do anything to get away while I was on the ground,” he said. “Same with my brother. My brother said he was unconscious at one point. So if he came to, he could have swung at anybody at that time."

Diego also said at one point, Dominic was getting kicked. He wasn’t sure who was kicking him, but one of the culprits rounded back because the officer didn’t restrain him.

Diego recalled, "He just told him to move, so he came back around to come towards me until my neighbor shouts, ‘That’s the guy you need!’, and the cop next to me grabs him. I’m not sure who he was, but he grabs the guy coming at me."

Diego added that the only people put into cuffs during the exchange was Sophia, himself, and Dominic. Ricky was later at the hospital with his son, but he never was arrested to Diego’s knowledge.

Sophia’s husband said both he and Dominic were badly beaten, and he spent time trying to piece everything together while getting treated at the hospital.

"I was not in the right state of mind then, but everything is much clearer now," Diego said.

Overall, Diego said Ricky put his own kids in harm’s way. 

He said, “If he would have listened…if he would have left, none of this would have happened. It wasn’t just leave and me going to grab guns. It wasn’t like that. It was numerous attempts verbally to get out. We weren’t pushing him. My wife was just at the door barring him from coming back in."

Diego said now his family’s lives are suffering major consequences simply because Sophia invited them to her New Year's Eve party. She missed her family and wanted them to get together.

“Sophia wanted her family, and of course I’m going to say, ‘Anything I can do to make you happy,’” Diego stated. 

Diego said Sophia cried the entire night after what happened to the 15-year-old victim.

“She kept thinking if she went to grab the gun, but she didn’t even know what it was,” he stated. “I said, ‘You don’t even know how to cock it or load it. You didn’t grab it; I did.’ She felt completely bad that she hurt somebody."

As to how the gun discharged, Diego said he didn’t want to say anything on that until they talk to a lawyer.

By giving these family members a chance, however, the couple not only have to fight major criminal charges, but they both also have to try and maintain their jobs and livelihood in the process. The only thing marring Diego’s record is an invalid license arrest in 2009, but that too may change since charges are pending.

The Neighbor’s Side of the Story

The Bara’s neighbor, JC, who wanted to keep his last name out of the story, said he witnessed some of what took place that night. He showed up at the scene when officers had Diego in handcuffs. 

“While his brother was getting kicked in the head and punched in the face, [the cops] had him in a corner,” JC said. “They were beating the tar out of him.”

JC added that there were quite a few cops present, and finally an [Asian] cop stopped the man from beating up the brother, but the officer didn’t put him in handcuffs.

The neighbor described the man as a “big fat guy with a beard,” which matches Ricky’s build. He added that another guy, who was determined to be the wife’s brother, also jumped in.

"There were cops there [who] could have stopped them, but they were too busy talking to everybody else,” JC said. “There were enough cops there that they should have seen that guy getting kicked."

JC also said because officers didn’t put Ricky in handcuffs, he went around the truck to go after Diego where an officer had him on the ground.

“The cops were all around [Diego], and one of them might have gotten hit, but they all grabbed him and threw him on the floor and put him in handcuffs,” JC stated. “He was trying not to get kicked in the head and the face. He didn’t realize they were cops, and didn’t realize who he was swinging at."

JC also said when he first got to the scene, he saw “a guy” with a bullet hole in his hand walking around yelling, “My hand! My hand!” He also witnessed a dark-colored vehicle drive off.

“I don’t know why they took off so fast, but they did," he explained.

The neighbor also added that officers had the shooting victim get on his knees and then on his belly before having him turn over on his back to look at his hand.

“I don’t understand why they did that,” the neighbor said. “It shouldn’t have been done that way.”

JC stated he also heard a woman screaming that someone took her kids, and he thought it was Sophia. He learned later that Sophia was the one reported to have shot the gun, but based on what he knows of his neighbors, he knew there was something more to it.

“She had to be hysterical--freaking out--not knowing if [someone in] her family was going to get killed,” he said. “It was a bunch of them against just them two. When you tell [people] it’s over, they should have left. What man [isn’t] going to get mad when their wife’s getting pushed? To me, she was just in self-defense mode and not in the right state of mind. She was just thinking about her family and not wanting them to get hurt.”

JC added that he has lived in the neighborhood for 28 years. As neighbors, the Baras keep to themselves and play with their kids outside, or they take them out from time to time.

“They’re real good parents,” he stated. “The other guy (Dominic), he goes to work and comes back home. They both go to work, come home, and after an hour or so, I see them outside playing or doing things with the family. They’re not the type of people to start anything."

JC also described Sophia as a sweet lady who takes care of her family.

“I believe it was self defense. If I had 20 people coming at me, you think I’m not going to use a gun?” JC questioned.

Sophia’s Side of the Story

In a shaky voice, Sophia also explained her side of the story, shortly after learning she cannot return to her job until “this is all cleared up."

Suffice it to say, Sophia said she wished she would have made a different choice that day about inviting her aunt’s family over to celebrate the new year.

Sophia said everything began when Ricky started arguing with his older son. 

She explained, “I’m not sure if Junior was trying to get the keys from him or what, but he started yelling and cursing at him, so I told him, ‘Not in my house! Get out of my house!’ My kids were in the other room, and they don’t witness that stuff.”

Sophia stated despite her request, Ricky continued to curse and she said more firmly, “You need to leave."

In response, Ricky told her, “Shut the f*** up. It’s none of your business."

He then proceeded to call her names. When things got to that point, Ricky’s wife and sons tried getting him to leave and started pushing him out the door. They got him to the door frame, but he would not get outside of the house.

“Me, Diego and Dominic were inside trying to push him out,” Sophia recalled. “Lisa and Junior were trying to pull him out, but he would not go. We were trying to close the door, but he had his hand on the door frame."

Sophia added that Ricky kept cussing at them, and then he pushed her against the wall.

“When he shoved me against the wall, that’s when Diego lost it," she said. “After that, I don’t remember anything else.”

Sophia stated the officers didn’t arrest Ricky at the scene, but another family member saw him in handcuffs later at the hospital while his younger son got treated for his gunshot wound to the hand.

“Here, they didn’t,” she said. “They put me in the car. Diego, they had laying on the ground. Dominique, they had sitting on the ground. The other guy who was a part of it was acting like he wasn’t a part of it, but it came out that he was."

Sophia also said when her boys ran out of the house, one of her sons said he saw one of the men on her, but it was unclear if it was Ricky or Lisa’s brother.

When asked, based on his history, why the couple invited Ricky, Sophia said it was about the kids.

“We wanted them to have a good experience," she stated.

Additionally, in the past, Ricky primarily got into altercations with Sophia’s uncle who was not going to be at this party, so she figured, with that being the case, things would be okay.

Unfortunately, she was wrong. By trying to get the family together, Sophia said her life is forever changed.

“I wish we would have never called them,” she stated. “I might be losing my job because of the whole situation. It shouldn’t have happened like that. We don't understand why he just didn’t leave."

As for the reports of her grabbing the gun and pointing it at family members, Sophia maintained, “It was nothing like that. I didn’t grab the gun and shoot it the way the report said. I didn’t do that.”

Sophia also said the victim shouldn’t have even been present where everything happened.

“He’s a kid,” she said. “He wasn’t supposed to be there. All the other kids were in the back room."

Beyond that, however, the Baras are happy the 15-year-old victim didn’t get hurt worse and is recovering after his surgery.

San Angelo Police Respond

In response to some of the statements made by the Baras and their neighbor, Sgt. Cade Solsbery, public information officer for SAPD, spoke on behalf of the department. Because this is still an open case and the officers may have to testify, they were not permitted to personally comment.

Solsbery stated when the first two officers arrived at the scene, there were two fights going on. The one the neighbor described, and another where a woman was getting attacked. This was possibly Sophia, whose son said one of the men was on top of her; however, that information is still being investigated.

"They dealt with that one first because there was a female getting attacked,” Solsbery stated.

Officers were also told the man who was swinging was still armed, which is why they focused on Diego.

Solsbery added that Diego wasn’t ultimately taken to jail that night because he was transported to Shannon and admitted, so there could be charges pending against him as well.

Also, when the officers arrived, they had no way of knowing who had or didn't have an arrest record, in this case being Ricky.

“There’s no way for us to know that when we get there,” Solsbery said. He did say though that Enrique Muñoz, Jr. Ultimately, (Ricky) was eventually put into handcuffs, but it was later.

“The neighbor must have only saw part of it,” Solsbery said in response to the neighbor’s claims. “When officers arrived on scene, it was chaotic, and they dealt with the fight to protect the female over the male who was getting beat up. The male subject who was assaulting the female was also transported to Shannon.”

As for the claim that officers put the shooting victim on his knees and then on the ground, Solsbery said the officers were administering first aid. One of the officers had the victim lay on the ground face up to help stop the bleeding. 

“He got him to lay down in case he lost enough blood, so he wouldn’t fall and hurt himself,” Solsbery stated. “He used a tourniquet and other stuff to get the bleeding to stop until the ambulance arrived. So they weren’t treating him like he was under arrest. They were trying to prevent him from further losing blood or hurting himself in case he passed out."

Overall, Solsbery stated the officers did a thorough investigation at the scene. They got statements from everyone there, and based on the evidence and the statements, that’s what determined who went to jail. He also said because things were so chaotic, determining who was assaulting whom will take some time to determine.

“This is one of the most hectic scenes that I’ve heard of,” Solsbery said. “Just from reading the reports, that’s the craziest I’ve seen in a long time."