Club security guard shoots, kills customer after argument, police say

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A club security guard shot and killed a clubgoer who police said threatened him with a gun.

Channel 2's Steve Gehlbach was the first reporter on the scene at the Lavish Bistro on Covington Drive for Channel 2 Action News This Morning.

An employee told Gehlbach the club was already closed and they had removed all of the customers before the shooting. Only workers and dancers were inside the club around 4:30 a.m. when a customer was turned away from the front door while trying to get inside, the employee said.

Police said the customer told the security guard he was going back to his car to get his gun and would return.

When he made good on that threat, police said, the security guard pulled his own gun and shot and killed the man.

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The 26-year-old man wasn’t able to get off his own shot and no one else was hit.

Homicide detectives and crime scene investigators collected what looked like more than a half-dozen shell casings and the two handguns at the scene.

They’re also interviewing a number of witnesses, including the security guard.

“They have him down at headquarters,” said DeKalb County Police spokesperson Shiera Campbell. “They are talking with him. we’ll determine based on the evidence, as well as surveillance footage, and talking with the guard and witnesses as to what happened here.”

Police determined the shooting by the security guard was justified and he won’t be charged.

Cox Media Group