SAN ANTONIO — Note: Video in this story may be considered graphic by some viewers.
Questions are being raised after a private security officer bodyslammed a woman to the ground during a violent brawl outside a San Antonio nightclub that was documented on video.
That video has since gone viral, racking up several million views on Twitter as users chimed in on footage of the chaos that unfolded over the weekend. The security company is telling KENS 5 two of its officers were trying to stop six fights outside Privat Social Club off I-10 and UTSA Boulevard after closing on Saturday night.
KENS 5 spoke with a managing partner of the nightclub as well as the owner of the security company it contracts, Precision Defense Group. Both representatives said they are waiting to see more surveillance video to get the full picture of the chaos that unfolded.
KENS 5 was told two security officers from the company were working Saturday night. The owner says it was difficult trying to get things under control before San Antonio police officers arrived.
In the video, the same security officer who slammed the woman can also be seen pepper-spraying another woman. She can be heard screaming that she's unable to see.
KENS 5 asked the chief of the security company about the actions his personnel took. But he said that until he sees the other footage that's available, he wouldn't comment. He said he couldn’t say definitively if the officer did anything right or wrong until he gets the full story.
In the shopping plaza there are surveillance cameras on the property. Club management and the security company said they’re looking into claims about the woman’s behavior before she was forcefully brought to the ground.
Moving forward, Privat's managing partner said more security officers will be present and they hope to work more closely with SAPD.
The San Antonio Police Department said they were called the night of the fight as well.
"Upon arrival, the fight had already been broken prior to police arrival, by security at the location," SAPD told KENS 5. "A female that was fighting with security was 'maced' by security at the location, prior to police arrival. The female was then asked to leave and the female left (the) location."
First responders with the San Antonio Fire Department say they were also called out, but that call was canceled due to the woman leaving the area.
KENS 5 asked SAPD if it was investigating this incident or if the security officer could face any charges, SAPD said, “No case number was generated as all parties had left the scene prior to police arrival. At this time there doesn’t appear to be a complainant.”
Meanwhile, Privat Social Club is the subject of a still-open investigation being conducted by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and centered around allegations of assault. The agency wasn't able to provide further specifics.
According to calls of service obtained by KENS 5, since November there have been various police responses to the nightclub.
That includes four callouts for drunken behavior; nine for a fight or assault; 12 for a burglary alarm; 12 for shots fired, heard or a shooting in progress; and 19 for a disturbance, five of those with a gun involved.
The chief of security told KENS 5 he did talk with the woman over the phone Sunday. He said she asked if there was something that could have happened differently besides being violently taken to the ground. According to him, they were supposed to meet with her Monday with the club. But he said the woman never showed up.
Both parties said they are waiting on the video to be released so they can review everything from that night. They didn’t give a timetable on when that might occur.