Jesse Heit says it sounded like someone set off fireworks.

Then he saw his buddy fighting with another man at the front doors of Hudsons Pub. Heit realized the man had a black rifle with a long clip and had fired a round into the ceiling.

"He shot into the ceiling and, at that point [Heit's friend] grabbed him and rushed him against the female washroom door ...and that's when I heard a second shot," Heit said in an interview Wednesday.

It was just before midnight Tuesday at the popular downtown Saskatoon watering hole. It was karaoke night and the place was bustling.

Jesse Heit (Century 21 Prestige)

Heit said he, a second friend and a Hudsons's staffer helped force the suspect into the washroom. Heit said he had one objective.

"This gun's not getting pointed at anyone's face and it's not getting in his hands again. That's all that was going through my mind, don't let this point at anyone's face, get it out of his hands," he said.

"So there was four us on him, actually, fighting for the gun and I was just the one who happened to free it, and as soon as I got it free I took it to the bartender in my left hand, barrel up, and just told him to take this, hide it, call the cops."

Police arrived in force within minutes. Officers are still investigating and say there is no apparent motive.

A 25-year-old man is in custody facing numerous weapons-relate charges, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

Insp. Cam McBride with Saskatoon Police says investigators are somewhat at a loss as to what to suggest bar patrons do should someone walk in with a rifle.

"It's a case-by-case, incident-by-incident basis. It's what an individual feels comfortable with within the moment," he said.

"In a case like this, there are no best practices."