Officer tackled man who shot at police amid fights outside uptown nightclub, CMPD says
An officer tackled a man who shot at police as they broke up fights outside an uptown Charlotte nightclub early Saturday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said.
“Several shots were fired directly at officers,” according to a CMPD news release. “Fortunately, no officers were struck by gunfire and no officers discharged their firearms.”
Police said the man fired shots at them as officers were breaking up fights in a parking lot at 300 N. Brevard St.
The parking lot is beside Brooklyn Night Club & Lounge at 225 N. Caldwell St. where police said they responded to a call of an assault. Police didn’t name the nightclub, which the Observer confirmed on Facebook.
Club management didn’t immediately respond to a request by the Observer for comment.
Police were still investigating the assault when people started fighting in the parking lot, according to CMPD.
Police identified the man who fired the shots as 27-year-old Tyler Drew.
Drew “retrieved a rifle” as officers were breaking up the fights and began firing at police, according to the CMPD news release.
Officers said they interviewed Drew at police headquarters and then took him to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, where he was charged with six counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer and possession of a firearm by felon.
Some of those fighting in the parking lot left Tattooz and Booz, a restaurant that operates as a bar at night, WSOC reported, citing police.
Kristen Wallace-Williams, who owns the restaurant, told the station she was disappointed by what happened. No disturbance occurred in the restaurant, she said.
“You know we do our part to have our security checking everybody down that comes into the building,” she said. “But they can’t search people’s vehicles and cars. And that’s when it becomes beyond our control.”
Police urged anyone with information about the case to call the CMPD homicide unit at 704-432-8477, or leave information anonymously on the Crime Stoppers tip line, 704-334-1600.
This story was originally published March 19, 2022 at 5:44 PM.