Pregnant Phoenix woman caught in crossfire of shootout downtown

A bartender working in downtown Phoenix is counting her blessings after narrowly avoiding serious injury when gunfire erupted outside her workplace on the night of Jan. 19. 

Tatiana Zamer, who is six and a half months pregnant, was moments away from leaving The Desmond, a popular restaurant near 1st and Washington streets when a violent altercation between two groups led to shots being fired.

The chaos unfolded just outside the restaurant, with gunfire echoing through the street. Zamer’s car, parked near the entrance, was caught in the crossfire. As bullets pierced the vehicle, Zamer’s emotions ranged from shock to relief as she realized how narrowly she avoided being inside the car during the shooting.

“They just started shooting all over the place, so that’s why my car got shot during that process,” Zamer said.

The owners of The Desmond say the incident was the result of a fight between two groups that had escalated from a nearby club. It ended in a gunfight that not only endangered patrons but also put restaurant workers at risk. The bullet that struck Zamer’s car went through the passenger side window, leaving a hole on the far side.

Though shaken, Zamer remained composed for the sake of her children. 

“I had to tell my kids that somebody threw rocks at my window so they wouldn’t be scared,” she shared.

Zamer’s experience comes as Phoenix police investigate the incident. They responded to the scene and took a report, but as of Friday, no suspects have been identified.

In the aftermath, Zamer has become an advocate for increased safety measures in downtown Phoenix. She believes that the violence could have been prevented with more proactive security. 

“We’ve seen incidents happening for weeks now—robberies, bar fights, intoxicated people causing trouble,” she explained. “It’s been feeling like something bad was going to happen.”

The owners of The Desmond echoed Zamer’s concerns, emphasizing the importance of safety for both staff and customers. They are working with Phoenix police to increase patrols in the area, particularly on weekend nights, in an effort to prevent further violence.

Despite the frightening encounter, Zamer and her coworkers were unharmed. She’s thankful to have escaped the danger, but the incident has left her with a renewed sense of urgency for better security measures downtown. 

“Downtown needs to be held to a higher standard when it comes to security and making sure that we’re following the laws,” Zamer said.

The Phoenix Police Department continues to investigate the incident and urges anyone with information to come forward.

Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.