A peaceful Friday night in Rockdale, Texas, turned into a scene of chaos and fear after gunfire erupted inside a popular local bar, leaving one man fighting for his life and prompting a rapid police response.
According to the Rockdale Police Department, officers received multiple 911 calls at approximately 11:51 p.m. on April 17, 2026, reporting shots fired at Boogie’s Texas Bar & Grill, located at 220 South Wilcox Street. Callers advised dispatchers that an individual had been shot, though the suspect’s location was unknown at the time.
When officers arrived, they found a single gunshot victim inside the bar. The victim was identified as Coby Ward, 28, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma. Ward was treated at the scene before being transported by PHI Air Medical to Baylor Scott & White Hospital in Temple, Texas, where he remains in critical condition, according to authorities.
As the investigation continued, police reviewed witness statements along with video evidence, which led to the identification of Raymond James McBride Jr., 23, of Rockdale, Texas, as the sole suspect involved in the shooting.
An arrest warrant was obtained charging McBride with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, a second-degree felony. Police said McBride was taken into custody without incident at approximately 9:45 a.m. on April 18, 2026, and was later booked into the Milam County Jail, where he is awaiting magistration. A booking photo was not available at the time of the report.
The Rockdale Police Department stated that the investigation was conducted with assistance from the Milam County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
