SACRAMENTO, Calif. — When shots rang out in downtown Sacramento early Sunday, frightened clubgoers scattered and ducked for cover. When the smoke cleared, security guards were among the first to begin administering aid and assessing the chaotic situation.
"It was horrible; there’s no other feeling to describe the feeling that you got that night," said security guard-turned-podcaster Wynton Griffiths, who hosts the livestreaming show "About The Night" with fellow security guards who work in the downtown club scene.
In an episode on Monday, three cohosts recounted their experiences trying to help the victims in a chaotic scene, and exchanged ideas about how to help keep guests safe.
Cohost Rob Coates said he tells clubgoers to "be smooth, get home safe" as they leave the clubs at 2:00 a.m., closing time in Sacramento.
"That's what I said to Serg. He shook my hand and he's like, 'No, you get home safe,' and those were the last words he said," Coates said about Sergio Harris, one of six victims killed in the mass shooting.
Coates and Griffiths said the fight caught on cellphone video was not related to the shooting, but showed that security has to clear the sidewalk after bars close to prevent bad things from happening.
"We want you to clear the street because that’s when these type of things can happen, when people linger around late at night," Coates said. "Especially when you have the alcohol consumption being involved."
The two agreed that a greater police presence would also help serve as a deterrent to those who would commit violent acts in nightlife areas.
With so much gun violence in America, Coates acknowledges that it's difficult to say "never again."
"I know for a fact I don’t want to have this feeling again, and I don’t want to witness what I witnessed again," Coates said.
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