A security guard at a south Chicago bar was shot and killed by police Sunday after he stopped an active shooter inside the bar.
Around 4 a.m., security at Manny’s Blue Room Bar in Midlothian asked a group of rowdy patrons to leave, WGN 9 News reported.
One man in that group came back into the bar and started firing his gun at other patrons.
A bar security guard, Jemel Roberson, was able to tackle the shooter and get him on the ground just outside of the bar.
While detaining the suspect, Roberson had him face down and was pointing his gun at the shooter.
“He had somebody on the ground with his knee in back, with his gun in his back like, ‘Don’t move,'” witness Adam Harris said.
When police showed up, they opened fire on Roberson, killing him.
Harris said, “Everybody was screaming out, ‘Security!’ He was a security guard. … And they still did their job, and saw a black man with a gun, and basically killed him.”
In a statement, Midlothian police said, “Upon arrival officers learned there were several gunshot victims inside the bar. A Midlothian Officer encountered a subject with a gun and was involved in an Officer involved shooting. The subject the Officer shot was later pronounced deceased at an area hospital.”
Roberson was very active in the church and often played various musical instruments during worship services at local churches.
He wanted to become a police officer.
Roberson was a musician and he aspired to become a police officer someday. https://t.co/zXB6OPwfJP
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) November 12, 2018
Reverend Patricia Hill said, “Every artist he’s ever played for, every musician he’s ever sat beside, we’re all just broken because we have no answers. … He was getting ready to train and do all that stuff, so the very people he wanted to be family with, took his life.”
Reverend LeAundre Hill of Purposed Church said, “Once again, it’s the continued narrative that we see of shoot first, ask questions later.”
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office reported that Roberson did not have a concealed carry license but was in possession of a valid Firearm Owners Identification card.
No further details about the shooting have yet been released.
An investigation is now pending by the Illinois State Police and the State Police Public Integrity Task Force.
It is known that four other people were shot in the incident and suffered non-fatal injuries.
It is not yet known who shot them.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help cover Roberson’s funeral costs. So far, over $123,000 has been raised in just two days.
