A brave security guard single-handedly managed to stop a potential mass shooting event outside a Chattanooga bar.
Chattanooga bar security saves patrons from active shooter
When a gunman began firing into a crowd of club goers, the unnamed security guard shot back and put a swift end to a serious situation.
The confrontation erupted just before 2 a.m. on January 26 in the parking lot near the Dream Nightclub in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Earlier surveillance footage unearthed chilling scenes of the gunman discreetly parking his vehicle a short distance from the club.
The suspect was seen crossing the street before moving behind vehicles parked along the club’s perimeter.
After positioning himself for an ambush, he suddenly opened fire.
In the video, the gunman could be seen approaching a group standing outside and began firing indiscriminately into the crowd of people.
Surveillance video revealed a security staff member, seemingly equipped in body armor, fearlessly stepping in front of terrified patrons crouching on the ground.
Footage captures Chattanooga bar security guard taking care of business
Brandishing a firearm, the guard responded with what appeared to be roughly two dozen shots within moments, using an assault rifle.
The footage captured the officer pausing briefly before taking aim and firing again to ensure the gunman was neutralized.
The suspect, identified as a 24-year-old male, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his hand, but turned tail and fled the scene.
LocalNews3 reported that the individual later sought medical attention at a hospital, where he was promptly taken into custody by Chattanooga police.
Joe Reed, head of security at Dream Nightclub, expressed his belief that the incident was premeditated.
“You could tell it was plotted,” he remarked, applauding the swift and effective reaction of the security team.
“It was quick action by our licensed security guard who did what he had to do to protect innocent lives.”
He added that, “The gun was given to the police department and everything.”
“If anyone comes down here with that foolishness, they know now that Dream security has zero tolerance,” Reed affirmed to the local news outlet.
It wasn’t the club’s first shooting
This violent incident is not an isolated event for Dream Nightclub.
Just weeks earlier, on December 1, a 22-year-old patron was injured when shots were fired inside the establishment following an altercation between customers.
No suspects have been arrested in connection with that shooting.
Security footage from the earlier incident depicted panic inside the club as patrons frantically fled in fear of their lives as the suspect popped off rounds.
Sgt. Jason Wood of the Chattanooga Police Department revealed during a Chattanooga Beer Board hearing that “we’re very fortunate that we didn’t have an incident of folks getting trampled or a stampede or something like that.”
However, he also noted that others shrugged off the chaos, saying, “Shortly after this you’ll see some folks come back and order drinks like business is normal.”
After the December shooting, the bar received a five-day suspension of its alcohol service, as reported by WDEF.
Acknowledging the shortcomings in their security setup, Reed explained that their metal detectors were out of order on the evening of the earlier attack.
“The metal detectors was broken by the cleaning people who came in and cleaned,” he told the outlet.
“They dropped the metal detector and let us know about it,” he continued. “This was the only reason the metal detector was down.”
Following these terrifying and repeated shootings, the nightclub implemented enhanced security measures.
“We upped the amount of security that we had. We have ten security here; we upgraded our metal detectors, we have cameras all over that can catch every angle,” Reed added.
