Police: Charlotte comedy club evacuated before man fires gun
A man North Carolina authorities accused of firing a gun inside a comedy club Saturday evening is in custody.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said in a news release that around 9 p.m., a man walked into The Comedy Zone and brandished a firearm, which prompted the club to be “quickly evacuated.”
Police said the man then discharged the gun.
Employees told WSOC-TV that there were around 50 people inside the club before the incident.
No one was injured, and the suspect was taken into custody, police said.
In a statement on Twitter, Police Chief Johnny Jennings commended the department’s staff for safely apprehending the suspect.
“The quick thinking and professionalism that you all showed in a very volatile situation that could have escalated quickly is extremely commendable,” Jennings said.
https://t.co/h9YX875Fsc pic.twitter.com/ZlRLqWTG5U
— Chief Jennings (@cmpdchief) July 17, 2022
According to the Associated Press, comedian Craig Robinson was scheduled to perform Saturday.
He informed his followers Saturday in a video posted to social media that he was OK, the AP reported.
Police later identified the suspect as 36-year-old Omar McCombs, the news outlets reported.
According to county jail records, the news outlets reported that McCombs was charged with pointing a gun, discharging a firearm in the city, communicating threats, and possessing a firearm by a felon.
The news outlets reported that authorities had not released a possible motive.
