Police say the confrontation happened outside Park 101 in Carlsbad during a World Cup watch party.
CARLSBAD, CA — A security guard was arrested after police said he fired a stun gun at a man outside a Carlsbad bar and restaurant Wednesday night during a World Cup watch party, sending the injured man to a hospital.
The arrest drew wide attention after video of the confrontation spread online. The footage appeared to show a close-range stun gun discharge outside Park 101, a busy Carlsbad Village venue that had drawn soccer fans for a watch party. Carlsbad police identified the guard as 42-year-old David Marquez of San Marcos and said the case remained under investigation.
Police said officers were sent to the 3000 block of Carlsbad Boulevard just before 8:30 p.m. Wednesday after a reported confrontation involving a security guard and a customer. During the altercation, police said, the guard allegedly deployed a stun gun. Emergency responders evaluated the man at the scene before he was taken to a hospital for more treatment. Kendall Johnson, a patron at Park 101, said the man had already “basically left the establishment” before the situation escalated. Johnson said the guard was still involved in an altercation with him and then fired at him from close range.
Marquez was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and assault with a stun gun, police said. Authorities did not release the injured man’s name, age or medical condition. Police also did not say what led to the confrontation or whether the man struck by the stun gun was accused of any crime. A video shared on social media showed a shirtless man standing near the entrance area before a uniformed security worker raised a device and fired. The man fell to the ground, holding his face, as people nearby reacted. Because some versions of the video were posted with music over the original audio, what was said before the discharge remained unclear.
The incident happened at Park 101, a large indoor-outdoor restaurant and bar in Carlsbad Village known for sports gatherings, live events and weekend crowds. The venue is located near Carlsbad Boulevard, one of the busiest corridors in the coastal North County community. Park 101 had been hosting soccer fans during the World Cup, including gatherings for Mexico’s match against Czechia. Johnson said the watch party had brought people together for an event that “doesn’t happen always often.” Another customer, Nichollas Mesquita, said videos of the confrontation quickly moved through the local community. “Everybody knows about it,” Mesquita said, describing Carlsbad as a tight community.
Marquez was released Thursday on $30,000 bail and is due in court July 2. Police said the investigation was active and did not release further details about witness statements, surveillance footage or the type of stun gun used. A Park 101 owner said off camera that the business was cooperating with investigators and would not comment further while the case remained open. It was not immediately clear whether Marquez worked directly for Park 101 or for an outside security company. Police also did not say whether additional charges could be filed after prosecutors review the case.
The video’s spread brought new scrutiny to security practices at crowded nightlife and sports-watch events, though police have not said whether any policy or training issue was involved. Witnesses described a busy evening with fans gathered around the venue for soccer. Johnson said the incident shocked her because the person accused of creating the danger was working security. She also said the episode should not define the business itself, noting that families and fans were still gathering there after the arrest. The venue’s regular crowd and high visibility in Carlsbad Village helped the video move quickly across local social media pages.
Carlsbad police said the case remains under investigation. The next public milestone is Marquez’s scheduled July 2 court appearance, when prosecutors and the court are expected to take up the felony allegations tied to the Wednesday night confrontation.
Author note: Last updated June 27, 2026.