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A patron was shot by a security guard during a confrontation at Club Essence in the early hours of Saturday, January 12.
Police were called to the popular nightclub on North Main Avenue at around 12:45 a.m. on Saturday for reports of shots fired. According to the police, a patron was asked to leave the club because he was extremely intoxicated and bothering other patrons. A security guard began to escort the man out of the venue after he started arguing. The man's friend then intervened and put the guard in a chokehold, according to police. The security guard then fired one shot and struck the man's friend in the stomach.
The victim was brought to the San Antonio Military Medical Center in serious condition. On Monday, that man passed away. He has been identified as 45-year-old Alfredo Mireles.
Both Mireles and the other patron involved in this incident were taken into police custody following the shooting. Police say that no charges are expected for the security guard.
Anjali Nigam represents violent crime victims in civil court. We've asked him to discuss club owner liability for shootings and other violent incidents:
The owners of bars, nightclubs, and all other businesses have a legal duty to make sure their customers are safe. This means guarding against all types of reasonably foreseeable dangers, including violent crime. While not all bar and nightclub shootings are reasonably foreseeable, many only occur due to inadequate security or another form of negligence by the property owner. In these cases, the victims and their families may have grounds for a lawsuit.
Determining if a shooting was reasonably foreseeable will take a careful investigation. Some common examples include shootings that happen at bars with a history of violent incidents. In these types of cases, the property owner might be considered liable if they failed to make efforts to improve security, such as hiring guards and requiring weapons searches.
If you or a loved one has been wounded in a shooting at a bar or nightclub and are curious about your family's legal options, you can learn more by contacting an experienced crime victim attorney.
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