MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Police say a security guard was shot at a gas station in the airport area Saturday morning.
The shooting happened at a gas station on Millbranch Road near East Brooks Road at around 1 a.m. Police say officers found a security guard with a gunshot wound. He went to the hospital in critical condition.
According to police, investigators learned the victim asked the suspect to leave the property. An argument ensued, and the victim reportedly tried to pull his Taser out on the suspect.
Court documents say the suspect then pulled out a gun and shot the victim in the head.
Memphis Police say the suspect, identified as 56-year-old Darryle Tate, remained on the scene and was taken into custody.
WREG spoke with a man who said he witnessed the shooting.
“I’ve never seen a person getting shot and the reaction of being shot,” said witness Trent Whisenton. “It was definitely an eye opener for me.”
Whisenton says he was pulling into the gas station when he saw the argument and says he witnessed the security guard attempt to grab Tate.
“The security guard reached out to touch the guy and the guy said ‘Hey. Don’t grab me like that,'” Whisenton said.
Whisenton says the guard reached for Tate again but Tate pulled back. He says that’s when the guard reached for his Taser.
“There was a quick little fight and the officer ended up on the ground, and he jumped up and ran back into the guy, and he just pulled the gun out of nowhere and shot him,” Whisenton said.
Police say another security guard was also on the scene.
“He observed the situation and asked the guy ‘Why did you shoot him?’ ‘Because he was about to Tase me.’ That was his immediate response,” Whisenton said.
Tate has been charged with attempted second-degree murder and employment of a firearm with intent to commit a felony.
“When a situation escalates someone has to calm the situation down. Preferably, it’s the person that’s employed or the person that’s on duty,” Whisenton said. “Once again, when you are agitated, things can escalated, and this simple situation escalated very quickly.”
Tate is currently being held on a $200,000 bond. He is expected to be in court first thing Monday morning.