11 People shot as security tried breaking up nightclub disturbance
Wichita KS July 28, 2023 A Sedgwick County court document released Wednesday provides accounts from numerous witnesses in the early July 2 shooting at the City Nightz nightclub in Old Town in which 11 people suffered injuries, nine from gunshot wounds.
In the days that followed the shooting, police made four arrests. As of July 26, three men face charges. The fourth had charges dropped after Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett concluded that shots fired by Brandon Young, a security guard for the rap artist, Mozzy, were in self-defense.
The probable cause affidavit details Young’s account that he gave to police, describing his response to seeing a man standing at the front door, shooting inside the club and toward the VIP section. Young’s response included return fire, the affidavit explains.
In working to piece together what led up to the shooting and who was involved, police interviewed people inside the club when it happened, including several of the wounded.
Among those interviewed was a 25-year-old man who was working security for the club who wasn’t wounded, but reported observing a bullet hole in the center of his cowboy hat. The affidavit said video footage showed him dodging gunfire while in the entryway of the club.
The man was among security guards who reported working to break up a fight before hearing gunshots.
“[He] said he made his way out of the club and to the street when he felt something was burning the top of his head,” the affidavit said. “[He] said he took his cowboy hat off and a bullet fell to the ground.”
Ultimately, evidence led to a case for three men to face charges in connection with the shooting: 27-year-old John Houze, 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram and 23-year-old Jaylen Thomas, who bonded out of jail following his arrest for attempted murder, aggravated assault and aggravated battery, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.
Sedgwick County Jail records show charges against King-Ingram and Houze including several counts of aggravated assault, unlawful discharge of a firearm in city limits and criminal possession of a weapon.
The affidavit further details the investigation into Houze and evidence gathered through video footage and a search warrant.
