Just days after Larry "Kite" Johnson talked about the safety at the bar he owns, he had to help authorities at the scene of a shooting.
"I feel terrible that this happened on my watch," Johnson said, adding that he had done the best he could to keep the bar safe.
Johnson installed a walk-through metal detector to replace the hand-held wands.
Johnson also is a Leflore County supervisor. He represents District 5.
Authorities made four arrests on Saturday.
Steven Cline, 22, of 907 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is accused of shooting Jeremy Griffin, 20, in the right buttock with a .380 automatic handgun. Also facing an aggravated assault charge is Johnathon Davis, 22, of 1300 Main St. Authorities claim that Davis fired two shots into the club's ceiling.
Besides the gunshot wound, several patrons were cut by broken glass during the brawl early Saturday morning.
The shooting comes about two weeks after Malcolm Reed, 22, a junior wide receiver on Mississippi Valley State University's football team, was shot in the abdomen in an Itta Bena nightclub.
He has been released from University Medical Center in Jackson.
The shooting on Saturday began around 1:30 a.m. A bouncer pinned Davis against the wall, and as they struggled, Davis reached into the waistband of his trousers and pulled out a gun, according to the arrest report. The bouncer knocked the gun out of Davis' hand. It fired twice. In the ensuing confusion, Davis slipped away from the guard and left the club.
The original charge against Davis was discharging a firearm in a threatening manner. Because the bouncer claims he feared for his life, the charge was raised Monday to aggravated assault. Sheriff Ricky Banks said Davis turned himself in Saturday afternoon.
Two deputies were directing traffic out of the parking lot as the club prepared to close. They heard a shot inside the building.
Inside, Johnson grappled with Cline for control of a weapon, according to the arrest report.
Johnson said he came up behind Cline, wrapped his arms around the younger man and snatched the gun. Cline escaped from Johnson's grip and fled the club.
Cline claims authorities have the wrong man. He told deputies that he picked up the gun from the dance floor just before Johnson grabbed him, Banks said.
Deputies arrested Cline around 11 p.m. Saturday.
Griffin, the victim, told authorities he turned around when he heard the shot. Then he felt a burning sensation in his leg, Banks said.
Afraid he might get hit again, Griffin hid inside the women's restroom. Scruples' security found him and took the wounded man to the hospital, where he was treated and released.
But there's another version of the story. This side comes from Shadow Williams of Itta Bena, who claims to have stood near Cline as he allegedly fired three shots.
Williams said the young man fired the weapon after Griffin allegedly smashed a bottle over Cline's head.
The club was "extremely crowded" when the shooting began, she said. Williams saw someone else hit by gunfire in the left calf. Bullets grazed several other people.
Some people crouched for safety behind upturned tables. Many suffered cuts from broken glass scattered over the floor, she said.
At some point during the confusion, which lasted about 15 minutes, authorities believe Tramel Summerville, 19, of 512 Ave. I kicked in the office door and grabbed about $40 in cash.
Banks said deputies found Summerville's pockets bulging with quarters when he left the club. Summerville was arrested and charged with burglary.
As patrons left the club, Johnson pointed out Jarvis Polk, age unavailable, 120 Champagne St., to deputies. Johnson said Polk was acting suspiciously and kept raising his shirt. A pat-down revealed a 9mm pistol. He faces a charge of carrying a concealed weapon. No one had made bond this morning, and no court dates had been set.
