KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The altercation that preceded Saturday’s deadly shooting in Westport lasted 75 seconds, according to Throwback KC Owner Aaron Beatty.
Beatty told 41 Actions News that the club’s bouncers, who are trained in de-escalation, intervened and the whole incident lasted about four minutes.
“Within 75 seconds, the altercation was under control,” Beatty said, “and in under two minutes, the first group of individuals was escorted out. We did not have to escort them, they left willingly without issue.”
Beatty said that Westport has requested that when an altercation occurs not to “push all of the parties out at once.”
Once Throwback KC’s general manager had the issue under control, he “immediately called Westport Security,” which arrived in about two minutes, according to Beatty.
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Security personnel spoke with the general manager about the incident, Beatty said, and told them which way the involved parties went when they left Throwback KC.
“We take the safety and security of our patrons and visitors of the Westport area seriously,” Beatty said. “We have multiple levels of security measures to ensure this happens.”
Neighboring bars disagree. Brett Allred owns four bars in Westport, including Bridgers.
"Throwback has been able to hide behind this Westport veil all throughout their entire three or four years they've been open," Allred said. "They make it seem like this is a Westport problem but they are responsible."
Allred said all of his bars wand customers who come through the business doors on the weekends, and his bars are part of Westport's enhanced security plan.
"I don't understand how they can be so inconsiderate of everyone else that has worked so hard to make Westport such a great place," Allred said.
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However, Beatty noted that the summer security program “would not have helped this situation.”
“We don't have the resources that manage the entire property of Westport that is that far away from our establishment,” Beatty said. “That's why Westport Security is there and that's why I immediately called them.”
Beatty also said that there were four uniformed officers near Throwback KC the night of the shooting.
“I think it's very unfair to characterize a fight inside spilled out into a deadly shooting on the street,” Beatty said. “There was, from the start of the fight from when the shooting happened, a full nine minutes. People went and got weapons out of their vehicles close to a football field away from where the Throwback entrance is. To say we had a brawl spill out on the street that resulted in gunfire, I don't agree with that statement.”
Throwback KC is bringing in off-duty and uniformed officers to patrol outside of the building, according to Beatty.
“They are keeping an eye on the sidewalks, they are keeping an eye on the parking garage, for us,” Beatty said. “They will be working with the other on-duty that has been hired by Westport and Westport Security that is already in place.”
