San Jose Club Warned About Lax Security Ahead Of Shooting During Chris Brown Concert
SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) – The owners of a San Jose nightclub where shots were fired during a Chris Brown concert had been warned that there could be trouble. A woman at the show talked to KPIX 5 about hiding in the club's freezer when violence broke out.
Brown was in the middle of performing his first song of the night at the Fiesta nightclub early Sunday morning when he noticed a fight in the back of the club. His grin disappeared when gunshots rang out.
During the shooting, Brown's security team ushered the singer to safety. The crowd went into a frenzy, scrambling to get out of the club.
"Screaming, running, terrified…oh my gosh it was terrible," said 24-year-old Kaytie Green, who attended the show.
Green was in the third row, about six feet away from Brown, when she was pushed to the ground. She showed us bruises from being trampled by other fans, before she ran into the kitchen.
"I just saw a walk-in fridge. I've worked in restaurants before and I know how thick the doors are and the walls so I ran in there because I knew if the door was closed the gun -- the bullet can't get through the door," Green said.
Green heard several more shots, before she made it out safely.
The San Jose Police Department said its officers warned the owner of the South San Jose nightclub about the potential for violence before the show. Fiesta was a last-minute venue, after the original theater backed out. Green had paid $100 for a VIP ticket.
"No ticket checks, no ID checks, barely a pat down," Green said. "So we finally get in, everyone's trying to get in, the security guy is holding the door, letting you in one by one, everyone's crowding, there's so many people pushing."
The owner wasn't around Monday night, as contract crews picked up their equipment. Police are looking at whether management took necessary precautions.
Several people have been questioned, but no suspects have been identified. The five people wounded in the shooting are all expected to survive.
