Crime, Guns / Firearms, Violence

Texas Shooter Who Wore Nazi Gear During Rampage Was 'Good, Competent Lawyer'

What do we know about the shooter in this case?

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police crime tapeYesterday, a man opened fire during the early morning commute in southwest Houston, Texas, injuring nine people and wounding six. Witnesses say he was wearing a military-style uniform emblazoned with Nazi emblems at the time of the shooting. After an exchange of bullets with police, he was shot and killed. In addition to a stockpile of ammo, investigators later found more Nazi emblems and historic military items among his personal effects and inside his apartment.

News reports soon began to pour in, with police alleging that the shooter was a lawyer. He was later identified as Nathan DeSai, a 1998 graduate of the University of Tulsa College of Law, who had practiced law for 17 years. His law practice, McDaniel & DeSai, was shuttered about six months ago. In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, his former partner, Kenneth McDaniel, said, “I’m reading stuff online talking about how he was possibly a fired employee that was disgruntled. That’s the farthest thing from the truth. Our partnership dissolved in February of this year – it was simply a matter of economics. We couldn’t afford to operate as a partnership anymore.”

McDaniel told Law.com that he hadn’t spoken to DeSai for months:

Nathan DeSai

Nathan DeSai

“It was a mutual decision to close our law firm. We thought we had better chances to go out on our own,” said McDaniel, now a solo practitioner in Katy.

McDaniel said they were partners for about 12 years, and met at the Bob Casey Federal Courthouse in Houston. McDaniel & DeSai had a general practice, McDaniel said, but he’s concentrated on criminal defense since the split. He said he did not know what kind of work DeSai has done since they dissolved the partnership, but his listing on the State Bar of Texas website said he handled business, criminal and family law.

“Nathan was a good, competent lawyer. He’s in good standing with the State Bar,” McDaniel said.

Although it is unknown whether DeSai had any known mental health issues, the property manager of his condo complex said that he noticed DeSai’s behavior becoming more “erratic” over the course of the past two months, and that DeSai seemed paranoid, giving off the appearance that he thought someone was “out to get him.”

In the shooting’s aftermath, people took to the defunct firm’s Yelp page to vandalize it:

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McDaniel DeSai Yelp

  • “Desai had nazi stuff and shot people, this is really really bad! I would not use this guy!”
  • “This guy shot me in the dick with a tommy gun today while wearing a Nazi uniform, I’m posting from the hospital right now. He also shot about 8 other folks in the parking lot. Would not recommend this lawyer.”

If you have anything additional to report on Nathan DeSai and this shooting, please contact us via email or text (646-820-8477). Our thoughts remain with those who are recovering from their injuries, and those who were affected by this shooting.

Man ID’d as Houston Gunman Was a ‘Good, Competent Lawyer,’ Ex-Partner Says [Law.com]
Several questions remain after mass shooting in SW Houston [Houston Chronicle]
HOUSTON SHOOTING INVESTIGATION: WHO IS NATHAN DESAI? [ABC 13 News]

Earlier: Lawyer Reportedly The Gunman Behind Shooting Spree In Texas

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Staci Zaretsky is an editor at Above the Law. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments. Follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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