Key Takeaways
- A 31-year-old man was shot dead after returning to a bar with a handgun and pointing it at a security officer.
- The incident began with a disturbance inside Condado Bar and Grill, leading to the man’s removal by security.
- He returned with a gun, ignored commands from security, and attempted to force his way back in, prompting the guard to fire.
- A second attacker then assaulted the guard, who shot again, resulting in the death of the original suspect at the scene.
- The security guard is not facing charges, and the investigation continues, with the bar cooperating with police.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
ROCHESTER, NY — A 31-year-old man was shot and killed outside a bar on Clifford Avenue early Sunday after he came back to the entrance with a handgun and pointed it at a security officer, according to the Rochester Police Department.
As reported by WHAM, police said a disturbance broke out inside Condado Bar and Grill around 1:30 a.m., with dozens of people inside. Security removed a group causing problems, and the man left the area.
He didn’t stay gone. Police say he walked to his car, retrieved a handgun, and headed back toward the bar. According to News 8 WROC, he returned waving the gun in the air.
Security confronted him at the entrance and gave multiple verbal commands to stop. Police say he ignored them, pointed the gun at a security officer, and pulled open the entrance door. The officer, described by police as a licensed armed security guard, fired his weapon.
It didn’t end there. As reported by News 8 WROC, police say another person then attacked the guard. The guard freed himself and fired at least a couple more rounds at the suspect, who was still armed with the gun. The 31-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say the suspect’s friends fled afterward, including the man who had attacked the guard.
More from USA Carry:
This security guard may very well have stopped a mass shooting. Look at what he was dealing with: a man brazen enough, and my guess is likely intoxicated, to wave a gun in the air outside a crowded bar and keep pushing his way in after being ordered to stop multiple times. The guard didn’t fire the instant the gun appeared. The first shots came when the handgun was pointed at him as the man pulled open the door he was guarding, with dozens of people behind it. The additional rounds came after a second man jumped him while the suspect was still armed. That is an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm, and it’s the only justification that matters here. In the video above, the Rochester police captain says it himself: he probably saved lives inside that bar. On these facts the guard’s use of force looks justified to me.
Investigators said the suspect’s gun was not legally registered. No charges have been filed against the security officer, who has not been publicly identified. That said, the defensive account here comes from the police, the investigation is still open, and prosecutors will make the final determination once it’s complete. Nothing is settled until they do.
In a statement posted to social media, the bar said it is cooperating fully with the Rochester Police Department and offered condolences to the family of the deceased and everyone affected.
