SANTA ANA : Customer Wounded by Nightclub Guard

A nightclub security guard shot and seriously wounded a man in a late-night scuffle that broke out as he routinely searched customers for weapons, police said Tuesday.

Police spokeswoman Maureen Haacker said security guard Henry Naliielua, 36, of Riverside was working at the Casa Del Rey restaurant and nightclub at 11:30 p.m. Monday when he took a pistol away from a customer. Another man, identified as Cirenio Torres, 36, of Orange, then pulled a gun and demanded that the guard return his friend’s weapon, Haacker said.

Naliielua, who was armed, tackled Torres and a fight involving the three men broke out. Haacker said Torres fired several shots at the security guard during the scuffle, but Naliielua was not hit. Naliielua broke away from the fight and fired four shots at Torres, Haacker said.

Torres’ unidentified friend retrieved his gun during the fight, Haacker said, and ran to his car in a parking lot in the 200 block of West Warner Avenue. His wounded friend tried to make it to the car but collapsed in the lot. Haacker said Torres threw his pistol into the car before the friend drove away.

Torres was taken to Western Medical Center-Santa Ana. Naliielua was not injured.