South Carolina Nightclub Shooter Stopped By Armed Patron

A man named Jody Ray Thompson opened fire at a nightclub in South Carolina after a heated argument. He wounded three people but was was neutralized by an unidentified man who had a concealed firearm on the scene.

On June 26, 32-year-old Thompson allegedly drew a gun at the nightclub Playoffz in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. Authorities say that he had been engaged in an argument with another man and fired his weapon while in an apparent rage, Fox Carolina reports.

Lt. Kevin Bobo of the Spartanburg County Police said that Thompson fired into a crowd, injuring three nightclub patrons and nearly hitting a fourth, who was also armed.

“His rounds struck three victims, and almost struck a fourth victim, who in self-defense, pulled his own weapon and fired, striking Thompson in the leg,” Lt. Bobo said.

Authorities arrived on the scene and took hours to determine what had transpired.

“Thompson was still on the scene when deputies arrived, but the initial scene was chaotic,” Lt. Bobo continued. “It wasn’t until victims and witnesses were interviewed, and video from the scene was reviewed that Thompson was identified as the suspect.”

The injuries of the three victims were determined not to be life-threatening. The unidentified man who had shot back at Thompson had a valid concealed weapons permit. After cooperating with the investigation, he was let go without any charges.

Meanwhile, Thompson has been charged with four counts of attempted murder, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, and unlawful carrying of a weapon. He is currently being held in the Spartanburg County Detention Center.

Gun rights advocates have held up the incident as proof that having concealed firearms in public spaces can prevent shooting fatalities. On social media, gun advocates ridiculed the mainstream media for not prominently reporting the incident, according to WAGA.

Indeed, the majority of national media outlets that have reported the shooting at length have been conservative-leaning.

The NRA tweeted, “What the media doesn’t report –> Concealed Carrier Prevents Mass Shooting At #SC Nightclub.”

The language that the NRA used to characterize the incident not precisely accurate. The account given by authorities was that Thompson drew his firearm in a fit of rage, which does not qualify as a mass shooting, which is when a gunman enters a public space with the premeditated intent of killing as many people as possible.

In 2014, the South Carolina Legislature passed legislation that allowed for concealed weapon permit-carriers to conceal carry firearms in public spaces that serve alcohol, The Washington Times reports.

Sources: Fox Carolina, WAGA, The Washington Times / Photo credit: Spartanburg County Jail via WAGA