San Antonio Daily: Deadly Lounge Shooting, Early Vote Crunch, Rodeo Spotlight
San Antonio, TX – February 18, 2026 – Deadly lounge shooting, brisk early voting in Bexar County, and FFA students chase big wins at the Stock Show & Rodeo.
San Antonio, TX – February 18, 2026 – Here is a quick look at what is happening around the Alamo City today, from overnight crime to the latest on voting and the rodeo.
Two men killed in drive-by shooting outside hookah lounge
San Antonio police are investigating a deadly drive-by shooting outside Myst Hookah + Ultra Lounge on the far North Side early Wednesday. Officers were called just after 1:20 a.m. and found two men, ages 27 and 50, fatally wounded on the patio area of the business off Loop 1604.
Investigators say an argument inside the lounge led to a man being removed by staff. A short time later, someone drove past the patio and opened fire toward the crowd before speeding away. No arrests have been announced and police have not released a suspect description. The Bexar County Medical Examiner will confirm the victims identities as detectives review surveillance video and interview witnesses.
Community mourns teen killed on Northeast Side
On the Northeast Side, a separate shooting has left a tight knit parish and city leaders calling for calm. A 14 year old boy was shot and killed Sunday evening while walking with a friend in the Highland Farms area near Kirby. Police say a confrontation turned physical before the gunman opened fire, hitting the teen in the torso.
Family and friends gathered at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church for a vigil, remembering the boy as an active church member preparing for confirmation. Detectives are still searching for the shooter. The case comes as residents remain on edge after other recent youth shootings on the Northeast Side.
Early voting numbers reveal busiest Bexar County polling sites
Early voting for the March 3 primary is now underway, and fresh numbers show where Bexar County voters are turning out in the largest numbers. County data for the first day of early voting shows more than 12,000 ballots cast, with several North Side libraries emerging as hotspots.
Brookhollow, Great Northwest and Encino branch libraries, along with Maverick and Semmes, each logged hundreds of voters on day one. A handful of inner city sites posted very light traffic, including Collins Garden Branch Library, which recorded only a few ballots. Election officials say residents can vote at any early voting center, and they are urging people to plan ahead and check hours and locations before heading out.
FFA students take center stage at Stock Show and Rodeo
At the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, thousands of FFA and 4 H students from across Texas are in town to show animals and compete for scholarships. This year s event is expected to draw well over a million visitors during its run at the AT and T Center grounds.
Students who have spent months raising pigs, goats and other livestock are now in the show ring vying for buckles, ribbons and sale spots that can help fund college. Rodeo leaders say San Antonio remains one of the most competitive stops on the livestock circuit, and local families are packing the barns and midway as the event continues through early March.
Sources
- https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/san-antonio-hookah-lounge-shooting-21360093.php
- https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/shooting-two-dead-hookah-lounge-21360095.php
- https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/isaias-trevino-teen-shooting-death-church-21358373.php
- https://earlyvotecounts.bexar.org/
- https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2026/02/18/busiest-slowest-polling-locations-in-bexar-county-for-early-voting-period-of-march-3-primary-election/
- https://spectrumlocalnews.com/mo/st-louis/news/2026/02/16/students-from-across-texas-show-their-animals-at-the-san-antonio-stock-show—rodeo
