Woman tased by 'abusive' security guard at Oregon nightclub is suing for $250,000
An Oregon woman who supposedly swung a pair of high heels during a nightclub fight filed a lawsuit against a security guard who tased her “in self-defense.”
Portland, Ore., attorney Michael Fuller, on behalf of client Leala Nicholas, is suing the LUX PDX Hookah and Nightclub, its security guard Fransisco Swafford, a businessman named Ramil Chandra and a company called Bear Arms Security Services, arguing the assault and battery were “without just cause.” Nicholas is asking for $250,000 in compensation.
According to the Multnomah County Court lawsuit sent to Yahoo Lifestyle by Fuller, on Mar. 16th Nicholas was tased by Swafford, an “abusive” and poorly-trained security guard, causing “severe and ongoing pain, discomfort and distress.” Fuller tells Yahoo Lifestyle that Nicholas was tased near her heart.
Lux PDX manager Daniel (who wouldn’t disclose his last name), tells Yahoo Lifestyle that Nicholas was thrown out of the club earlier that night. “I’m told she was escorted out for breaking three hookahs. Then she threatened the security guard with her shoe heel. It was self-defense.”
Swafford, 24, stopped by at 2:15 a.m. to help with security, although he wasn’t on duty. In a parking lot adjacent to the venue, he came across a large group of people arguing. “I knew everyone there, and I could tell that Leala and her friend — who we’ve had problems with — were the aggressors,” Swafford tells Yahoo Lifestyle. The club does not serve alcohol but Swafford says Nicholas and her friend seemed intoxicated.
The guard says the friends were armed with their high heels. “She was wearing a pink dress and barefoot and they were each holding a shoe,” says Swafford. “They started coming at me so I drew my taser.” Swafford says he pressed the weapon’s ARC switch, which issues electricity as a warning signal.
“I kept telling everyone to go home but these two came at me, so I tasered them in the stomach area,” says Swafford. According to him, Nicholas and her friend were slightly disabled but continued advancing toward the group, who then dispersed.
“Leala asked me if I had a lighter for her cigarette and I said no,” Swafford tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “She walked across the street, tripping off the curb.” Yahoo Lifestyle was unable to obtain an incident report from the Portland Police Department.
Swafford says Bear Arms Security Services is not his employer (however Daniel tells Yahoo Lifestyle that he is being advised by the company’s attorney). And Swafford says he’s employed at Top Security Services. Both companies did not respond to Yahoo Lifestyle.
In January, Oregon Live reported that Swafford shot and killed a man who allegedly robbed him in the parking lot of the Dream On Saloon in Portland.
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
Sword-carrying man wearing MAGA hat slashes pedestrian’s hand: ‘There was a river of blood’
Woman arrested for DUI after driving with margarita in cup holder
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