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Fight between security guards leads to fatal shooting outside Winter Garden nightclub

Winter Garden, Fla. — A security guard is in jail after police said he confessed to shooting another security guard during a fight outside a Winter Garden nightclub.

Winter Garden police responded to Las Princesas nightclub just before midnight Friday in reference to a shooting.

Officers said they were told that two armed security guards working for different companies had been arguing for an unknown reason when one shot the other.

According to police, witnesses said one of the guards, Miguel Angel Santos-Rivera, removed his gun belt and attempted to fight with the victim, Edwin Anthony Mercado.

Witnesses told police Mercado aimed his gun at Santos-Rivera but eventually holstered it.

Police said Santos-Rivera then drew his gun and shot Mercado in the chest.

“There was some type of confrontation between two security guards and basically one shot the other,” said Lt. Scott Allen with the Winter Garden Police Department.

Mercado was taken to Health Central Hospital where he later died.

Santos-Rivera was taken to the Winter Garden Police Department where he confessed to shooting Mercado.

People who live nearby said they were shocked when they heard about what happened.

“I think it’s very sad, very shocking. They’re supposed to keep the peace in places like that,” Delia Rodriguez said.

Santos-Rivera, 37, was booked into the Orange County Jail Saturday morning and charged with second-degree murder.

Police have not said what started the fight.