Hagerstown man charged with murder after bar fight in nearby Funkstown

A Hagerstown man who turned himself in to authorities late Tuesday faces murder charges in the shooting of a man outside a Funkstown bar earlier that morning, according to charging documents filed in Washington County District Court and the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

The shooting followed arguments and physical altercations inside Jokers Bar and Grill at North Antietam and West Baltimore streets, according to court records.

Darrin Anthony White, 25, has been charged with first- and second-degree murder in the death of Erwin Bernard Redding, court records state. White also is charged with felony first-degree assault and several misdemeanors including the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony or violent crime.

The sheriff's office is not looking for anyone else in connection to the homicide, Sgt. Carly Hose, spokesperson for the sheriff's office, said Wednesday morning in a phone interview.

White appears to have fired at least nine shots at Redding outside the bar's side door, according to the detective who filed the charging document and who cited surveillance video of the shooting.

A deputy arrived to find Redding with "apparent gunshot wounds to his left arm and at least one to the head," the charging document states. EMS arrived and took Redding to Meritus Medical Center east of Hagerstown, where he was pronounced dead at 1:25 a.m. Tuesday.

Redding would have turned 39 on Wednesday, according to court records.

Redding lived in the Hagerstown area, Hose said.

White was being held without bond Wednesday morning at the Washington County Detention Center.

A bond review hearing scheduled Wednesday afternoon for White in district court was postponed to Thursday.

The owner of Jokers could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Washington County Liquor Board had no comment, a board representative said.

What we know about incidents leading up to the shooting

Washington County Emergency Services received a 911 call about a disturbance at the bar with the caller initially saying it involved a knife and then the call disconnected, court records state. The 911 call taker was able to get the caller back on the phone as a deputy arrived at the scene at 12:40 a.m. Tuesday.

Surveillance footage showed three men arguing in the area of the pool table. The argument, around 12:37 a.m., turned physical when they moved to the bar area near the side door along North Antietam Street, court records state. The side door is for public access, while Jokers front door is locked.

The physical altercation began after a man, later identified as White, briefly leaves Jokers and approaches Redding when he returns seconds later — with the two arguing "chest to chest," court documents state. White pushes the victim and a bartender tries to intervene and falls down.

Redding punches White twice in the head and neck area, court documents state.

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White picks the bartender up off the floor and the third man starts to punch Redding, court records state.

A second bartender tries to intervene.

After some pushing and shoving, White starts punching Redding and both bartenders continue trying to separate the three, doing so briefly, according to charging documents. Then Redding goes behind the bar and gets a metal knife from the bar area and swings it at White.

The detective wrote that it appeared White was cut in the area of his right eye.

After the two exchange more punches, Redding goes back behind the bar and White removes a handgun from his waistband, holding it to his side, charging documents state. They argue briefly and White puts the gun back in his waistband.

White and the third man leave the bar. A bartender tries to keep Redding from leaving and he ends up pacing around inside the bar, court documents state. Redding tries to make a call with a phone from a woman before White comes back inside and appears to talk to Redding.

White goes back outside and it appears the third man is trying to get White to leave.

Redding appears to look out a window trying to find White and also looks out the door before exiting.

When Redding leaves, the two start "exchanging words" and White walked toward Redding with the gun in his right hand, court documents state. Redding walks down the bar's side steps to the sidewalk and White takes three steps back, raises the gun and starts shooting, charging documents state.

Redding raised his hand to cover his head and falls down after the second shot.

White and the third man get in a car and leave.

Around 8:25 a.m. an attorney calls the dispatch center seeking to speak with investigators. The attorney allegedly told the detective his client was assaulted and stabbed by a bar patron and his client shot the patron in self-defense, according to charging documents. White also was reported to have a permit to carry a firearm.

Arrangements were discussed for White to turn himself and the firearm in, court documents state.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Md. man charged in shooting death outside bar after patrons fight