Security Guard Injures 2 in TGI Fridays Parking Lot Shooting, Faces Possible Double Life Sentence

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A 36-year-old security guard is facing life in prison for shooting two people in the parking lot of a TGI Fridays earlier this year.

On June 4, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa M. Phinn read the charges against Ian Christian Kennedy Simmons, including multiple counts of attempted first and second-degree murder, first-degree assault and related weapons charges in connection to the shooting on March 6. The judge said Simmons currently remains on the street.

According to court documents, Simmons shot a 35-year-old woman and a 41-year-old man in the right foot and right thigh, respectively, in the restaurant’s parking lot on the 2400 block of Liberty Heights. Baltimore Police were alerted of the shooting victims around 12:40 a.m. after they walked to nearby hospitals.

Both victims were treated for their injuries.

Judge Phinn broke down the maximum sentence for each of Simmons’ charges during the defendant’s initial appearance on Wednesday. If convicted of all charges, the defendant could see up to two life sentences in addition to 156 years, the first 10 years without parole, incarceration and $6,000 in fines.

Judge Phinn recommended Simmons file for an attorney through the Office of the Public Defender until he has hired his own counsel.

Simmons’ case is currently scheduled to return to reception court on Aug. 18.

During their investigation, police found surveillance footage from inside and outside of the restaurant that captured the shooting. The outdoor footage allegedly shows the security guard fire a gun in air and then into a crowd, hitting the two victims.

The female victim told police that she took a picture of the suspect—later identified as Simmons—on her cell phone after she was shot, showing a gun in the guard’s hand.

“The picture I took is the security guard who shot me,” the woman is quoted in the statement of charges.

The male victim told police he was walking over to the parking lot when someone hit him in his head moments later. The man said he heard a single gunshot and immediately realized he was shot.

Although he said he did not see the shooter, court documents state, the male victim told police the security guards were the only people with guns.