Downtown Raleigh bar owner, staff question why deputies fired as they cleaned up after vandalism

Tim Lemuel said, "They were just shooting first, asking questions later."

Ruby Deluxe, at 415 S. Salisbury St., had windows shattered and graffiti painted on the outside Saturday night. On Sunday, Lemuel and his crew were sitting outside where they had set up a table with water and medical supplies for the protesters when the shots rang out.

"I had my hands where I can see them, and I was shouting I was a business owner," Lemuel said.

Sheriff’s department spokesman Eric Curry said deputies were patrolling the area and noticed people congregated outside the bar. He said deputies had watched several people over the course of an hour get supplies from Ruby Deluxe and then go back to Fayetteville Street and commit criminal acts.

"They were actually the same perpetrators that were throwing rocks and other projectiles at our deputies going back down to that location and then returning to Fayetteville Street," he said.

"The deputies fired two audible charges, they contained no projectiles. They were loud bangs, and they were deployed by a shotgun," Curry said.

That explanation did little to satisfy Lemuel, a U.S. Army veteran.

"People who are civilians coming out to provide medical aid shouldn't have to wonder if it's a real bullet or not. (They) shouldn't be fired on by the police," he said. "At any point, they could have walked over and said, 'Hey, what are you guys doing?' or 'We have some concerns about what you're doing.'"

Curry said Sheriff Gerald Baker would be happy to sit down and talk to Lemuel.