Bouncer At Restaurant Shot And Killed After Removing Patron Following Fight

  • Sunday, May 8, 2016
Andrew Wilson Jr.
Andrew Wilson Jr.

A man working security at a restaurant on Cowart Street was shot and killed early Sunday morning.

Police said there had been a fight and the bouncer, Johnny Sanders, 40, had removed someone from the restaurant.

In the incident at 2:11 a.m., Chattanooga Police responded to the 1400 block of Cowart Street on the report of a person shot. There police found one victim suffering from a single gunshot wound.

The initial 911 call was a report of a fight inside the Bella Vita Restaurant.

A person involved in the fight was removed from the establishment by the club's private security.

Once outside the club Mr. Sanders was shot.

Police arrived within moments and secured the area.

Mr. Sanders was transported to a local hospital by Hamilton County EMS where he succumbed to his injuries. 

The suspect, Andrew Wilson, Jr., 31, was detained in relation to the shooting. He was charged with criminal homicide and unlawful possession of a firearm. 

Wilson in 2013 was charged in the shooting death of Desmond McClure on East Main Street.

He claimed that he returned fire after McClure first shot at him.

In that case, he was charged with criminal homicide and tampering with or fabricating evidence.

Wilson said McClure pointed a .357 revolver at him and pulled the trigger three times, but the weapon did not fire. He said he did shoot back after McClure pulled the trigger a fourth and fifth time and it did fire at him.

Wilson said he fired nine rounds at the victim with his .45 caliber SIG.

Wilson said after the shooting he took the victim's gun and fled in a vehicle driven by a man he knows only as "Lawrence." He said he threw the revolver out the window at East Main and Dodson Avenue. Police said they were unable to locate the gun at that location.

Then, in 2014, Wilson was charged with a second-degree murder.

 


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