The Rack of a Shotgun in the Night

In the clear early Saturday morning around 4:30 am, I completed my shift on a part time detail at a popular hip-hop night club that I worked for off duty along with two additional officers. The club serves alcohol to the 21 year old and over crowd. The capacity level is reach quite frequently every Saturday night. The potential party goers who can not gain entry try to hangout in the parking lot of the club. The club owner employed several off duty police officers with myself included to deter in crime or incidents on the property after the club is closed at 4:00 am. My job was to ensure that no loitered in the dimly lighted parking lot of the club. I would walk the parking area in my full department issued uniform to give the show of officer presence to hinder any crime that could potentially take place. I checked to ensure there were no disputes physical or verbal in the parking area. A clear presence disrupted any vehicle theft or vandalism too. I walked the parking area and gave verbal instructions to individuals who sat in or just stood by vehicles to make entry to the establishment or depart the property. A combination of alcohol and poor judgement has been a factor with people who did not follow instructions in the parking area. At 4:00 am, one of the security guards for the club opened the front door and I could hear the DJ say that the club was closed. The loud music had stopped and people began to exit the club to the parking lot. I stood near the exit to ensure that no one came out with an alcohol. One of security guards helped a female who drunk out of the club. The drunk female was with two other female friends that drove her home. I walked to observe the security guard assist the intoxicated lady and her girlfriends to their vehicle. I approached the car that the women were in as I shined my flashlight inside the car and talked to the driver to ensure that she was ok to drive. I asked the driver,” Are you ok?” She stated with an attitude,” I am fine! It is my friend’s birthday and they went out to celebrate but she had too much to drink.” I replied, “I just want to make sure that you are ok since your friend can barely walk. Be safe on your ride home.” I saw a man that leaned into the driver’s side window of a vehicle as he talked to a female that occupied the vehicle. I shined my flashlight on the car as I approached the car. I informed them the club was closed and that they needed to exit the area. The female complied and drove off. After she departed, I told the man that he needed to exit the property too. The parking are was cleared of all of non-employee vehicles. After the parking area is cleared, we check in with the manager who in return would pay us for that night. This was the always the highlight of the night for me. Especially after dealing with all the drunks and attitudes all night. I made my way to the managers office in the rear of the club. I received my pay and left the club. I went to my personally owned vehicle and saw that I was blocked in by a bar employee’s vehicle. I went back into the club to find that employee who owned the car. I found the employee and we went to the parking lot. As we walked to the area where the cars where parked. I heard a argument directly across the street from the club. I heard a bunch angry curse words being shouted by one individual . I didn’t think much of it plus I am off duty and it was not at my location of my off duty employer. The sound that I could not ignore the rack of a shot gun. I sound was so crisp and clear. I continued to hear the individual that shouted profanities. At that time, I had a sworn duty to act as a police officer. I could not just get my vehicle and drive off as if I didn’t hear that shot gun rack and not investigate the matter. I could not have that on my conscious that I could have prevented a violet act to take place. After all , I took an oath to serve and protect. I approached the street with my service weapon drawn as I gave my radio dispatcher my location and situation. I could see a black male that held a shotgun with his back turned to me. The armed man had the shotgun pointed a green four door SUV that was occupied by three individuals. I have a clear view of the armed subject and the SUV. I gave loud commands of , “ Police! Drop your weapon now!” I am in the middle of a three lane road with no traffic when I gave the commands as I continued to approach. The armed subject looked over his left should while his shotgun was still pointed at the SUV. He saw me with my weapon drawn and quickly placed both of hands in the air. I ordered him to drop the weapon. He tossed the shotgun on the ground away from himself. I ordered him to get on his knees immediately and then lay face down on the ground. He followed all my verbal commands. After the subject was face down on the ground, I shined my flashlight in the SUV and ordered everyone to place both of their has on the ceiling of the SUV. My radio dispatcher gave me a well fair check to see my situation update. I told the dispatcher that I had four indiviuals at gun point and needed an additional unit to my location. I stood alone in the thick of the night with my weapon drawn at one man on the ground and three additional individuals in a SUV. I waited on my back up to come so I could secure the scene. The first unit arrived on scene in 4 minutes from my request. That four minutes seemed like four hours when you have your weapon in your hand pointed at an individual. My job is to preserve life but I was prepared to go home my family at any cost. I still didn’t know the totality of the situation. I didn’t know if the three individuals in the SUV were armed too. I didn’t know if they were the victims either. I could hear the cavalry coming! I heard the sirens in the distance night air. The first unit arrived and I informed him of the situation. I asked him to cover me while I holster my weapon and approach the suspect that was face down on the ground to handcuff him. I handcuffed the suspect and searched him then placed him in the back of the responding officer’s patrol car. All of the occupants were removed from vehicle and searched so that I could understand what occurred. The occupants had attended the club earlier that night and parked in the closed business parking lot along with additional cars that could not park in the club’s parking lot because it was crowded. The three men were approached when they entered the SUV by the suspect with the shotgun and demanded money from them. I recovered the weapon and the suspect was transported to jail charged with aggravated robbery. The sound that I could not ignore of that shotgun made me react. I went home a little later after my paper work but with a clear conscious.