Massive brawl erupts at Bass Pro shops grand opening in Odessa, Texas, chaos overshadows city’s celebration of ‘West Texas spirit’

A large, chaotic fight erupted inside the new Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Odessa on, sending shoppers and employees scrambling and producing widely shared video of multiple men trading blows on the store floor. Odessa police say the disturbance began with an argument while customers waited in line for a restroom and quickly escalated into a multi-person altercation.

The Odessa Police Department told TMZ that officers responded to a disturbance at around 2:52 pm on Saturday, after two men reportedly began arguing while waiting in line for the restroom, an argument that quickly escalated into a physical altercation.



While it’s still unclear what sparked the initial dispute, video footage shows four men engaged in separate scuffles before additional individuals rush in, with several more joining the fray instead of breaking it up.

Rather than stepping in to break up the fight, several bystanders jumped into the chaos themselves, trading punches and elbows in what some online have jokingly called a display of “Southern hospitality,” all unfolding in the middle of the packed store.

In the background of the video, a woman can be heard shouting, “These grown-ass men act like idiots! … And you wonder why our schools are falling apart!.” Her comment also drew attention to the fact that the school district serving Odessa, Ector County ISD, received a “D” rating from the Texas Education Agency in its most recent annual report.

The brawl took place just four days after the city celebrated the store’s grand opening, announcing in a statement: “An exciting day in Odessa! Bass Pro Shops officially opened its doors with a Grand Opening and Evening for Conservation celebration.”

The statement went on to add, “With new jobs, new energy, and new visitors coming to town, Odessa’s latest addition marks another step forward in the city’s growth, and another reason to celebrate the great outdoors, West Texas style.”

According to police, "All parties involved declined to press charges and no arrests were made. Bass Pro Shops criminally trespassed the subjects who began fighting and they were all released from the scene."