Manuel Resto and 2 other security guards at Tampa’s Mons Venus strip club are local heroes for the city after they stopped an armed man from entering the club with the probable intention of shooting up the place. Michael Rudman drove his pickup to the club at approximately 1:15 am, stopped his truck in the parking lot but not in a parking space, and jumped out leaving the truck running, I assume with the intention of fleeing as soon as he’d done what he went there to do. Rudman had a pistol in his hand and was wearing a red “Satan mask”, both of which are clearly visible in the security video outside the club’s front door where the incident happened. As soon as Resto saw Rudman he knew it meant trouble and thankfully Resto was able to stop Rudman from entering the club or causing any damage to any other employees or patrons.
Resto stated “I almost went unconscious, but I kept myself. I wasn’t going to let this happen. I wasn’t going to let him win. He was not going to hurt nobody.”
Watch the actual security footage where Rudman pulls on the front door and almost makes it inside before Resto heroically reaches for the gun in Rudman’s hand and the fight ensues:
According to official reports Rudman had the gun and three magazines, one with seven rounds loaded and the other two with 17 rounds each. Rudman’s truck also held around nine knives and firearm accessories.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office had served a year-long risk protection order to Rudman back on October 19, 2022, which prohibits him from legally possessing firearms or ammunition.