TAMPA, Fla. (Scripps News Tampa) — A dramatic video released by the Tampa Police Department showed the moment security guards took down a man after he tried to enter a gentleman’s club with multiple weapons.
“The first thing that came to mind is what happened in Orlando at Pulse,” said Interim Police Chief Lee Bercaw with the Tampa Police Department.
Officers said that around 1:15 a.m. on Sunday, Michael Rudman, 44, approached Mons Venus on North Dale Mabry Highway with a gun in one hand and a flashlight in the other. Police said Rudman was wearing a red and black devil mask and that he had the words “kill” and “dark one” on his arms.
A security guard at the club, Manny Resto, was standing by the entrance. He noticed the man in the mask. He thought it may have been a joke, but then saw the gun.
“I saw him raise his hand, and he had a gun. So, I saw him pointing it towards the door and I decided that he was not going to enter the club and hurt anybody,” said Resto.
Resto approached Rudman after seeing the gun and knocked it out of his hand. A single round was fired from Rudman’s gun during the altercation, hitting the front door of the venue. Resto said he was hit in the head a few times during the altercation, resulting in minor injuries. No one inside was injured.
With the help of additional security guards, including Daniel Baham, the guards were able to pin Rudman to the ground. When police arrived, officers found ammunition, knives and gun accessories in Rudman’s truck as well as two fully loaded magazines in his pocket.
“The other security guard made it outside in 18 seconds from when it first happened. I made it outside in 21 seconds. I couldn’t believe that was that fast. It was done within 30 seconds after that. We had him on the ground,” said Daniel Baham.
“Any police officer will tell you fighting an armed suspect for a minute seems like an eternity,” said Interim Chief Lee Bercaw.
Video released by the Tampa Police Department shows security guards taking down an armed and masked man outside a gentleman’s club. (WFTS)
“Thanks to the heroic actions, today an armed suspect is in custody and no lives were lost,” he added.
Rudman 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.
Tampa Police said the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office served Rudman with the RPO (Risk Protection Order) last year. TPD said they haven’t established a motive for Rudman’s actions but did say he visited Mons Venus the night before.
According to TPD, Rudman had previous charges of domestic violence, battery, reckless driving, and DUI in Pinellas County as well as multiple prior Baker Act psychiatric holds.
This story was originally published March 21 by WFTS in Tampa Bay, an E.W. Scripps Company.
