According to prosecutors testifying in court on Tuesday, Devontrell Turnipseed, 23, was working at Persona Lounge early on Sunday when another guard complained that Turnipseed was letting patrons inside the club too rapidly.
A security guard is charged with fatally shooting another guard after an altercation occurred last weekend outside a nightclub in the Loop.
Prosecutors testified in court on Tuesday that Devontrell Turnipseed, 23, was working a door at Persona Lounge at 408 S. Wells St. early on Sunday when the other guard complained that Turnipseed was letting customers into the club too quickly and was not performing a thorough job patting them down.
As he and the 38-year-old guard started arguing, Turnipseed allegedly unholstered his gun, according to the prosecution.
The other guard hit Turnipseed in the face as he looked to be trying to hand his gun to a colleague. According to the prosecution, Turnipseed fired three shots as he was on the ground.
Police said the senior security guard was wounded in the chest and passed away shortly after at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He is still unidentified.
According to the prosecution, security footage of the altercation showed Turnipseed firing a weapon, and several witnesses confirmed this. The expended shot shells found at the site and the handgun that was later found appear to be identical.
According to the prosecution, Turnipseed dialled 911 while waiting for police to come. He allegedly informed detectives while he was being held that he shot his coworker as reprisal for getting struck in the face.
Turnipseed’s lawyer pointed out that his client had no past criminal record and speculated that he might have been acting in self-defense.
Turnipseed was ordered to be jailed without bail by Judge Kelly McCarthy. He was scheduled to return to court on October 31.
