TAMPA, Fla. – Security guards in Florida are being praised as heroes after they managed to wrestle a masked man carrying a gun into a club to the ground on Sunday.
Cameras captured the incident at approximately 1:15 a.m. Watch that video in the player above.
Tampa Police Department said Michael Rudman, 44, arrived in a silver pickup truck at Mons Venus, located at 2040 N Dale Mabry Highway. Rudman wore a red and black devil mask and the words “kill” and “darkk one” on his arms. He walked toward the entrance of the venue with a gun in one hand and a flashlight in the other.
After seeing the gun, a security guard at the venue engaged the suspect and knocked the weapon out of his hand. A single round from the suspect’s gun struck the front door of the venue. No one was injured inside. One of the three security guards involved suffered minor injuries.
Tampa Police said officers found additional ammunition, knives, and firearm accessories in Rudman’s truck. They also found two fully loaded magazines in his pocket.
He faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and purchasing, possessing, or receiving a firearm while under a risk protection order, or RPO. Rudman had previously been served with an RPO last year by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Rudman has also previously faced charges including domestic violence, battery, reckless driving, and DUI in Pinellas County.
Rudman’s motive is unknown at this time and is still under investigation. However, detectives have learned that Rudman had visited the establishment the night prior.
“There is no question that the security guards who disarmed this suspect saved dozens of lives through their heroic acts, and I am thankful that our officers were able to take this individual into custody before he had the chance to carry out whatever he had planned,” said Tampa Police Interim Chief Lee Bercaw. “We will continue to actively and thoroughly investigate this case to get a better understanding of what led up to this thwarted incident.”
Rudman is currently behind bars at the Falkenburg Road Jail with no bond.