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Crazy Chelsea Club Clash: Bouncer Shoots Patrons
By
Jen Chung
Published May 24, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published May 24, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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A bouncer at Opus 22 on West 22nd Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues, shot four clubgoers, killing one of them, late last night. Bouncer Stephen Sakai is now in police custody, and is being questioned in the strange, violent incident. Witnesses say that a drunk patron was refusing to leave or refusing to pay a cover and got into an argument with Sakai. Sakai then shot him "point-blank in the chest," causing one of the man's friends to yell "Why did you shoot my friend?" Sakai allegedly replied, "You want some, too" and shot that friend and others before running away. The police, who came to the club in riot gear and then used helicopters and police dogs to search for the shooter, apprehended Sakai in Brooklyn a few hours later.
This hasn't been a great year for bouncers, given the Imette St. Guillen murder where a bar bouncer has been connected to the crime. And oddly enough, Rob the Bouncer at Clublife has a post today offering "pearls of wisdom regarding the proper procedure for exiting a Manhattan nightclub", number one being "Do not get a fight after last call."
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Stephen Sakai
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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