Victim from Lone Oak Lounge shooting speaks publicly for first time since shooting

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — More than two weeks after the January 29th shooting at the Lone Oak Lounge in Bakersfield, Chris Knopf still does not have feeling in his left arm and is still bleeding.

That weekend Chris Knopf and his wife Laura were at the bar watching their friends in a local band, Lipstick Revolver, sing. While they were singing their second set of songs, Chris heard a commotion going and saw staff going to the pool room.

"I seen there was a scuffle going on back there, so I just took it upon myself to go back there and see if I couldn't lend a hand breaking up the fistfight," Chris, said. "I was expecting the next turn of events, but somebody whipped out a gun and started shooting."

Laura says others there told them the shooter left the bar, to get more ammo. When he came back he shot the bar's bouncer.

"He went back to his vehicle," Laura, said. "It was probably ten rounds that he let off in the building and then went out to the car and they said he got another magazine that he shot Emilio with."

27-year-old Jesus Manjarrez was arrested last week and pleaded not guilty in front of a judge Tuesday to multiple charges including attempted murder.

He is being held on nearly 2-million dollars bail. Meanwhile, Chris's orthopedic surgeon isn't sure yet how severe Chris's arm injury from the bullet is, yet.

"He said it did miss the main nerve, but there's a lot of small nerves that branch off of it that the bullet went through the small nerves and he just doesn't know yet what the damage is going to be," Laura, said.

Chris is hearing it could take him at least 6 months to get feeling and mobility back in his left arm. Being off from work, not knowing when insurance will kick in and having medical bills piling up is taking a toll.

"Not knowing, long-term whether I'll be able to be able to get back into Climate To Ours, like I've been doing for the past 6 or 7 years, that's frustrating," Chris, said.

A family friend started a GoFundme page for Chris, that still has not met the goal yet.

Knopf is having surgery on his arm Monday at Memorial Hospital.