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Shots Fired

On 5/31/09, at approximately 2:45 a.m., offficers were patrolling the area near S. Main St. and 2nd Ave Ext S. as part of the nightclub emphasis patrol, when they heard two gunshots coming from the south and west.  The officers drove to the 200 block of 2nd Ave S. and observed three males emerging from the alley to the east of the large parking lot.  The officers noted the men’s appearance and continued to check the area.  A citizen approached them and explained that he had also heard the shots, adding that he had seen the same men quickly exiting the alley just after he heard the shots.

Based on their contact with the citizen, and their own observations, the officers contacted the men at S Washington Street and 2nd Ave S.  At that time, they found that two of the men were carrying loaded semi-automatic pistols. Though both men hold valid concealed pistol permits, one of them did not have his permit with him.  Further investigation revealed that there were two spent 9mm casings in the alley just about where the officers and the citizen had placed the men. However, neither the officers nor the citizen actually saw the shots being fired.  The recovered pistols were 9mm.

There were no victims found at the time of this report, and it did not appear that the rounds struck anything. The officers placed the pistols into evidence and recovered the spent casings. The officers also checked the pistols to make sure that they were not stolen.

The officers transported both of the men who were armed men to the precinct where they were interviewed and later released. One of the men stated that he and his friends had been threatened by a group of unknown males, earlier as they were driving by in a car.  He saw that one of the men was brandishing what he believed to be a shotgun, so he responded by producing his pistol and firing two rounds into the air to “scare them off.”

Officers requested that the man who did not have his permit with him be charged with the permit violation. The other man, the man who fired the shots, has not been charged at this time.  All three men had been drinking at an area nightclub before the incident. They had left the club at closing time and remained in the area.  It is unknown if they were armed while inside the club or not.