Briton shot dead in US as gunman attacks bar

Father-of-one Thomas Reeve, 28, was hit by a bullet in the right upper chest as bar customers were ordered to the floor during the late night robbery, an inquest heard.

Mr Reeve, from Maidenhead, Berkshire, had only stopped in the Texan town because he loved the Tony Christie hit (Is This The Way To) Amarillo.

The inquest at Windsor Coroner's Court yesterday heard he was with friends James Charlton and Lara Haim and drinking a soft drink when the raid unfolded at the Spotted Pony.

In a statement read by Berkshire coroner Peter Bedford, Mr Charlton described hearing a "cracking noise", then saw a man with a bandana covering his face holding a gun, shouting at people to get to the ground and hand over their money.

He said: "At one point, he pointed the gun towards Tom and fired."

Asked by Mr Bedford if the shots ricocheted or were aimed hits, Mr Charlton said he felt "it was in our general direction".

He said: "I was crouched down behind a table. I saw Tom bleeding from his back, it didn't look very good." He described how further shots hit the ceiling as the gunman demanded customers hand over their money or "he would kill us".

Mr Bedford said: "There was no logical reason for this man to shoot Tom, you were doing what he asked. It was a random attack?" Mr Charlton replied: "Yes."

Gunman Ray Carlos Cisneros, 26, was later arrested and was in jail

serving a life sentence.

Mr Bedford recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.