Two men who shot each other at a Birmingham nightclub following a dispute over perceived 'disrespect' have been jailed for 15 years each. Aaron Nubie, 47, and Kimani Durrell-Smith, 28, exchanged gunfire at Aston's FJ Lounge on 23 March last year, injuring an innocent vendor in the crossfire.
Nightclub Shooting Caught on Camera
The incident unfolded when Nubie returned to the venue intending to settle what he saw as 'disrespect' shown towards him, Judge Andrew Smith KC told the court. Durrell-Smith had stepped outside to buy food when Nubie confronted him, poised to open fire.
Judge Smith noted that while the violence was not 'significantly premeditated', it could not be deemed spontaneous either. Upon spotting Nubie, Durrell-Smith drew his weapon and both men fired almost simultaneously.
Innocent Vendor Injured
Garth Pantry, an innocent jerk chicken vendor at the venue, was caught in the crossfire. A bullet passed through Durrell-Smith's shoulder before striking Mr Pantry in the same area. Mr Pantry was rushed to hospital, where surgeons operated on a partial collapse of his lungs.
In a victim impact statement, Mr Pantry described how the incident left him deeply traumatised, plagued by sleepless nights and unable to return to work since.
Sentencing and Convictions
Nubie, who represented himself in court, said: "It was a form of self-defence. I felt like I had a right to do it because my life was at stake at the situation." He claimed to have known Mr Pantry for a considerable time and maintained he harboured no ill will towards him. Nubie also revealed he had previously been involved in gang culture and organised crime, which left him suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and living in fear of gun violence.
Nubie, from Victoria Road, Stockland Green, and Durrell-Smith, from Marsh Lane, Erdington, were both convicted of two counts of wounding with intent, while each acknowledged possessing a prohibited firearm. At Birmingham Crown Court on October 22, they received extended sentences comprising 15 years imprisonment with additional three-year licence periods.
Judge Andrew Smith KC remarked: "You didn't know one another but you had something in common. Each of you, as you accept, were in possession of a loaded 9mm handgun. Each of you carried your firearm in a readily accessible way and, as events were to unfold, did not hesitate to use your lethal, illegal weapons."
A West Midlands Police spokesperson commented: "We responded immediately, launched a major investigation, caught them, and they're now starting prison sentences. We're working relentlessly every day to tackle violent crime and take guns off the streets of the West Midlands."
