A man drinking with three friends pulled a gun during a fight over who was paying a $30 bar tab, police say.
The incident took place just after 11 p.m. Wednesday at the Applebee's restaurant on the 3400 block of Illinois Avenue in Dallas. A witness flagged down a passing Dallas police officer and said there were injured people inside and a man with a gun.
The officer called for backup and, believing there may be an active shooter inside, entered the business.
Once inside he found two injured men, one with a handgun.
After securing the area, officers determined that a disagreement over the tab led to a fight between four friends. During the melee, one of the men pulled a gun in self defense and two of the men ran.
Investigators said the armed man may have been justified in pulling the weapon, but that he was a convicted felon on parole and is now headed back to jail after being charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
Both of the men at the scene were transported to an area hospital for cuts and bruises. The other two men are at large.
