SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. — After a security guard reportedly fired a warning shot at a man during a soccer game in East Memphis on Sunday, WREG decided to investigate how guards are actually trained to react.
Witnesses told News Channel 3 the guard fired a shot into the ground after a man refused to put his alcoholic beverage down.
Police have only confirmed they responded to a call of shots fired, but the guard claims he never pulled the trigger.
WREG spoke with experts Monday about what security guards can legally do and what your rights are when interacting with them.
“I personally wanted to go confiscate a gun,” said Chris Fowler, a former law enforcement officer and current director of training at Top Brass gun range.
Witnesses told WREG the guard fired a warning shot at someone at the field after they refused an order, something Fowler said goes against all training security guards receive.
“That’s just not done,” he said. “We don’t use firearms to get somebody to comply.”
He said the only time guards can use their guns is when they feel their own life or the lives of others are in danger.
Fowler said security guards and the public have to realize they are not police, and they do not have the right to react the same way police do.
“A security officer has the same authority to make an arrest as a private citizen. His force options are no more than that of a private citizen. In other words, you cannot use deadly force to gain compliance.”
He said people should cooperate with guards, and he pointed out they can use reasonable force and things like chemical spray to get someone into custody.
Becoming a security guard in Tennessee only requires 16 hours of training, which is not nearly enough in Fowler’s mind. He said he thinks more training would result in less problems.
“I’d do 40 if it were me.”
