A bouncer at Old Clubhouse Beer & Wine in Baltimore was forced to use a machete Monday night to fight off about 50 would-be looters, he said.
“It’s the only thing I have. I can’t pull out a shotgun,” the bouncer, 32-year-old Brian Woodyard, told The Washington Post.
Raf Sanchez of The U.K. Telegraph photographed a masked Woodyard standing outside of the store, which is located on the northwest side of town, near where riots and looting began earlier on Monday.
@rafsanchez: We just met Brian, who is defending a liquor store on his own with a machete amid the riots #baltimore pic.twitter.com/dj8fXOD3Rg
— Raf Sanchez (@rafsanchez) April 28, 2015
Woodyard told the Washington Post he was forced to put the machete to some use as looters tried to storm the store shortly before 9 p.m. local time.
“I was able to clear about 50 people away. I came with my mask on my face, ready to do what I have to do to protect my livelihood,” he said.
Hundreds of rioters, looters and arsonists destroyed portions of the city. The Mondawmin mall was looted. A CVS drug store was looted and set on fire. A senior citizens’ center being built by the Southern Baptist Church was also burned to the ground, though it is not clear that rioters were responsible for setting it. Small businesses and liquor stores were a big target for the criminals.
Chaos began hours after a funeral held for Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died last Sunday, a week after he was arrested. Gray suffered a spine injury of unknown origin.