Key Takeaways
- A security guard fatally shot a man inside Emperor’s Gentleman’s Club after the man forcibly entered a closed area and attacked him.
- The incident occurred in Tampa around 12:15 a.m. on July 24, resulting in the man’s death from upper body trauma.
- The guard remained at the scene, and police have not made any arrests so far.
- Authorities are investigating the situation, reviewing surveillance footage, and interviewing witnesses.
- The legality of the shooting hinges on the disparity of force, as prosecutors will determine if it was justified self-defense.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
TAMPA, FL — A security guard in his early 60s fatally shot a man in his early 20s inside Emperor’s Gentleman’s Club early Friday after the man forced his way into a section of the building that was closed to the public and repeatedly struck him, according to the Tampa Police Department.
The guard remained on the scene, and, as reported by WFLA, no arrests have been reported in connection with the shooting.
Officers responded to the club at 5718 E. Adamo Drive just before 12:15 a.m. on July 24 after reports of shots fired. They found an adult male in his early 20s with upper body trauma. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Based on the preliminary investigation, police say the man had been ejected from one portion of the club. Moments later, he pushed past venue employees and entered a separate portion that was closed to the public. That is where the security guard made contact with him.
A physical altercation followed. The man struck the guard again and again, police say. The guard fired. The man did not survive.
More from USA Carry:
Legally, this one may come down to disparity of force. Deadly force is justified against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm, and an attacker does not have to be armed to present one. Repeated blows can meet that standard when the mismatch between attacker and defender is severe enough. Whether they did here is not a call I can make from a preliminary release. That is the same standard armed citizens across the country carry under every day, and it always turns on the specific facts.
Neither man has been publicly identified. Detectives are still processing evidence, reviewing surveillance video, and interviewing witnesses, and no charging decision has been announced. Police describe the guard as the man being struck when he fired, but the final call on whether this was lawful self-defense belongs to prosecutors, not to a preliminary release.
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