A federal grand jury this week handed down an indictment charging a 21-year-old Tulsa man with a nightclub shooting that occurred on Aug. 21, 2021, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Jaden Perez was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in Indian Country and carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to court documents, Perez punched a security guard at closing time near an exit door of Midnight Rodeo nightclub in Tulsa. Perez was forced outside by the security guard, and a physical altercation ensued. After the fight was broken up, Perez and his friends were escorted to their silver Honda.
The men eventually moved the car to another area of the parking lot as the crowd dispersed and security walked away. Perez then exited the car, ran across the parking lot and allegedly began shooting back toward security guards and the remaining crowd. Surveillance footage showed the suspect with arm extended and muzzle flashes coming from him. A security officer returned fire. Perez was hit and ran east on 46th Street until picked up by his friends in the silver car.
The security guard felt a pain in his chest during the shooting when he was apparently grazed by a bullet. Upon examination, he suffered bruising and redness to the left side of his chest.
A Tulsa police officer conducted a traffic stop on the silver vehicle in the area of 4800 S. Memorial Drive and found Perez suffering from gunshot wounds. Perez was transported by ambulance to St. Francis Hospital for treatment.
According to court documents, officers located a .45 caliber pistol and Glock 19 handgun in the car during the traffic stop. Officers also recovered spent .45 caliber bullet casings from the nightclub’s parking lot where Perez was seen running. They further located a Taurus 9mm pistol. Surveillance video showed the suspect possibly drop something in the area where the gun was found.
The defendant faces a maximum of 10 years in prison if convicted of count 1 in the indictment and a minimum of 10 years in prison to run consecutively to any other sentence if convicted of Count 2 in the indictment
Perez is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, and the crime took place within the boundaries of the Muscogee Nation reservation.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang is prosecuting the case.
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