...and they say nothing happens in my hometown

17 Seconds · 10-15-2002, 10:43 AM

http://www.myinky.com/ecp/news/artic...479948,00.html

Reward offered for cop's handgun
By JOE ATKINSON Courier & Press staff writer 464-7450 or atkinson@evansville.net
October 15, 2002

Owners of a local nightclub where an excise officer lost his gun in a brawl early Sunday are offering a $1,000 reward for the weapon's return.

Paul Miles, owner of the Zone Night Club, said no questions would be asked and no names reported if the gun, which belongs to Indiana State Excise Officer Charles Butler, is returned.

"We're doing that of our own volition because we don't want guns on the street," Miles said. "We try to provide a very safe atmosphere for everybody; I feel very upset about the fact that an officer, who is supposed to be in control of his weapon, lost his weapon."

Butler lost the gun while fighting with several of the bar's patrons during a concert by rap artist Juvenile. According to police reports, the fight began when Butler was struck with a beer bottle while escorting a man from the bar for allegedly using marijuana.

Security guard Everett Nunn, escorting Juvenile's driver outside when the fight broke out, said things escalated quickly.

"By the time I (got back), all hell was broken loose; they had an altercation with a young man, and officer Butler tried to put this guy through a door," Nunn said. "Bottles got tossed, and all hell broke loose. I didn't get to see any of the altercation between the patrons and Butler, but I heard they whupped him up pretty good."

Nunn took exception to police reports that he and the other security guards let, or even helped, things get out of hand. Butler's partner, Ron McDonald, had called for backup, and once Nunn returned, he, McDonald and other security personnel were close to restoring order when Officer J. Weigant of the Evansville Police Department showed up.

"We were trying to get order in the place, and another officer comes in, and for some reason, he whips out his gun and starts slinging his gun around for no reason," Nunn said. "He was shouting, 'Get the (expletive) away from me! Somebody touched me!' I don't know if he was scared, but he was pointing the gun at security, and we had 'Security' on our shirt plain as day, so there was no reason for him to act like that."

Representatives of the Evansville Police Department did not return calls for comment Monday.

Miles, the club's owner, said he regretted the incident, but he did not feel responsible for it.

He had rented the club out for the concert, and he pointed a finger at the excise officers - and Butler in particular -for helping instigate the incident.

"It was odd that they happened to show up at an all-black affair; all the other things going on in the town, and they show up here," Miles said. "We're talking about a (young) officer who was not wearing anything that said 'Police.' "

Nunn said he refused to "play the race card" in explaining the incident, adding that he has worked with McDonald several times, has seen him act the same way at all-white clubs, and considers him a professional.

Sgt. Charles Bauer of the excise police said he believed the officers were following procedure, but could not be certain until his own investigation into the incident is complete.

"We have the right for inspection at any given time," Bauer said. "With that in mind, I don't know that there's anything necessarily that the officers did wrong as far as how they went in there and what they were doing."

10-15-2002, 10:43 AM	#1
17 Seconds The best $5 I ever spent Location: River City, USA Posts: 820	...and they say nothing happens in my hometown http://www.myinky.com/ecp/news/artic...479948,00.html Reward offered for cop's handgun By JOE ATKINSON Courier & Press staff writer 464-7450 or atkinson@evansville.net October 15, 2002 Owners of a local nightclub where an excise officer lost his gun in a brawl early Sunday are offering a $1,000 reward for the weapon's return. Paul Miles, owner of the Zone Night Club, said no questions would be asked and no names reported if the gun, which belongs to Indiana State Excise Officer Charles Butler, is returned. "We're doing that of our own volition because we don't want guns on the street," Miles said. "We try to provide a very safe atmosphere for everybody; I feel very upset about the fact that an officer, who is supposed to be in control of his weapon, lost his weapon." Butler lost the gun while fighting with several of the bar's patrons during a concert by rap artist Juvenile. According to police reports, the fight began when Butler was struck with a beer bottle while escorting a man from the bar for allegedly using marijuana. Security guard Everett Nunn, escorting Juvenile's driver outside when the fight broke out, said things escalated quickly. "By the time I (got back), all hell was broken loose; they had an altercation with a young man, and officer Butler tried to put this guy through a door," Nunn said. "Bottles got tossed, and all hell broke loose. I didn't get to see any of the altercation between the patrons and Butler, but I heard they whupped him up pretty good." Nunn took exception to police reports that he and the other security guards let, or even helped, things get out of hand. Butler's partner, Ron McDonald, had called for backup, and once Nunn returned, he, McDonald and other security personnel were close to restoring order when Officer J. Weigant of the Evansville Police Department showed up. "We were trying to get order in the place, and another officer comes in, and for some reason, he whips out his gun and starts slinging his gun around for no reason," Nunn said. "He was shouting, 'Get the (expletive) away from me! Somebody touched me!' I don't know if he was scared, but he was pointing the gun at security, and we had 'Security' on our shirt plain as day, so there was no reason for him to act like that." Representatives of the Evansville Police Department did not return calls for comment Monday. Miles, the club's owner, said he regretted the incident, but he did not feel responsible for it. He had rented the club out for the concert, and he pointed a finger at the excise officers - and Butler in particular -for helping instigate the incident. "It was odd that they happened to show up at an all-black affair; all the other things going on in the town, and they show up here," Miles said. "We're talking about a (young) officer who was not wearing anything that said 'Police.' " Nunn said he refused to "play the race card" in explaining the incident, adding that he has worked with McDonald several times, has seen him act the same way at all-white clubs, and considers him a professional. Sgt. Charles Bauer of the excise police said he believed the officers were following procedure, but could not be certain until his own investigation into the incident is complete. "We have the right for inspection at any given time," Bauer said. "With that in mind, I don't know that there's anything necessarily that the officers did wrong as far as how they went in there and what they were doing."