Ferrelview police chief Daniel Clayton played a big role in making sure a bar fight didn’t turn into more recently in Jefferson City.
Legislative assistant Jared Brown, 45, of Malden, was charged late last week with unlawful use of a weapon and peace disturbance. The chief of staff to Sen. Justin Brown, R-Rolla, got into a fight at Spectator Bar in downtown Jefferson City and in the process dropped a gun.
Daniel Clayton
Clayton happened to be at the bar when he saw the donnybrook start, the time when he was ready to pay his tab and leave.
He told KMIZ ABC 17 in Columbia that he stepped in to break up the fight and identified himself as a police officer. When the individuals were picked up from the ground, Clayton saw a gun laying on the ground.
That gun, a 9 mm Ruger pistol, was in Brown’s possession when he went to the bar but dropped it in the fight. It had five rounds.
Clayton said he took the gun to the corner of the bar to release the slide to get a round out of the chamber.
Clayton made the call to 911 and identified himself as a police officer from out of town.
The Jefferson City News Tribune stated that Brown told officers he was ‘highly intoxicated’ and the court documents stated he said he ‘wish he had his weapon closer to him during the fight and he would’ve used it.’
“Being in that condition and making that statement, it is a bad situation,” Clayton told the TV station. “Never, in my opinion, should you carry a firearm on a night on the town. Alcohol effects your judgment and mind and things like and it is just never good.”
The victim said that Brown stood over him in the fight and said, “I will (expletive) kill you” while pointing at the victim with his finger, court documents allege. Video footage confirmed the victim’s account of the incident.
Brown said his job with the senator has led to death threats and that is why he carries the gun. He has since been placed on leave, the Associated Press reported.
Clayton gave detailed information to the dispatchers and walked outside when officers arrived. He pulled out his badge and put the gun down after being asked to by an officer.
“They did a good job of responding to the area and identifying the area and making an arrest in a not good situation,” Clayton said. “If you are carrying in an altered mind set, you shouldn’t carry. If you are going out and having a good time and drinking and you feel you need to carry, don’t go out. Stay home, have fun there.”