Devon King, a 20-year-old Black man from Corpus Christi, was known by his family as the “life of the party” and a happy person with a “contagious big cheesy smile.” He was just days away from celebrating his 21st birthday when his life was cut short in a burst of violence outside a San Antonio nightclub.
In the early morning hours of May 18, 2023, a large fight broke out between two groups, totaling about 20 people, inside the Privat Social Club on UTSA Boulevard.
The altercation spilled out into the parking lot, where the confrontation escalated dramatically. According to police, multiple individuals from one of the groups drew handguns and began firing. In the chaotic exchange of gunfire, Devon was struck once in the chest. He was rushed to a hospital, where he died from his injury. Three other people were also shot but survived their wounds.
The San Antonio Police Department launched an investigation and soon identified two suspects. The first, Noah James Patterson, was arrested on May 30, 2023, and charged with murder and aggravated assault. The second suspect, Seth Terrance Rockett, was identified as another shooter who had fired into the crowd. After several months as a fugitive, Rockett was apprehended on November 20, 2023, with the help of the United States Marshals. He also faced charges of murder and aggravated assault.
Patterson’s case went to trial, where prosecutors argued that surveillance video clearly showed him firing at Devon King. The defense countered that the scene was chaotic, with as many as 16 shots fired, and that the bullet that killed Devon could not be traced to any single weapon. In October 2025, a jury found Patterson not guilty of murder and the lesser charge of manslaughter. He was, however, convicted of deadly conduct and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The following month, in November 2025, Seth Rockett accepted a plea deal. He pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to eight years in prison. With both men convicted and sentenced, the case is considered closed as of November 2025. The Privat Social Club, which had been the subject of numerous police calls, is now permanently closed.
