Two security guards at the center of an investigation were shot and later arrested following a violent encounter outside of Lucille's nightclub on Third Street in southwest Memphis. The incident began just after midnight on Tuesday when a disagreement escalated between the security personnel and a man who refused a security check before entering the club, ending in gunfire, according to reports from Action News 5.
As recounted by law enforcement and said by one of the security guards to WREG, the man became argumentative pushed a security guard to the ground, and continued to be uncooperative after being asked to leave the premises, not leaving the parking lot afterward. Upon the threat of the police being called, the man drew a weapon and shot the guards while fleeing the scene in his vehicle proceeding northbound on South Third Street.
The Memphis Police Department responded to the shooting, and the two security guards were found with gunshot wounds, with one having been shot in the left hand and forearm, while the other was shot in the groin and leg. Both were transported to Regional One Hospital and are expected to recover from their injuries.
Following the shooting, both security guards were taken into custody. "The other guard was in possession of a gun that was reported stolen out of Pontotoc County, Mississippi back in May," according to a report from WREG, which also noted that the weapon was modified with a lever to make it automatic. The other guard involved was a convicted felon who had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, which is concerning as it's illegal for convicted felons to carry firearms.
Further information disclosed by FOX13 indicates the extent of the legal repercussions facing the guards. One of the guards received a ticket in connection with the stolen firearm, while the other, a woman with a history of violent crime, was arrested at the scene. The story is ongoing as the Memphis Police continue their investigations into both the shooting and the backgrounds of the involved security personnel.
