Police Investigate Punching, Kicking, Bodyslamming & Throwing Chairs at Nightclub

[kellyhound]

EAST ST. LOUIS • The city suspended a club's liquor license and fined the owner after a weekend brawl that was captured on video footage and posted to Documentingreality.com.

The fight at Blackmon's Plaza has also triggered an investigation by the Illinois State Police.

A security guard was shot in the hand during the brawl, authorities said.

Others involved, including men who appear to be security staff, can be seen punching and kicking people or hitting them with chairs.

One man appears to be hitting another man with a gun.

"It's very troubling, what we saw," said Illinois State Police Lt. James Morrissey.

The brawl broke out about 4 a.m. Sunday at the club, at 127 Collinsville Avenue, authorities said.

A promoter had rented the space for a performance by Louisiana rapper Webbie and other entertainers.

Security guards - some hired by Blackmon's Plaza, some hired by the promoter, and some brought by individual artists - got involved.

Their behavior is among the issues the State Police plan to examine.

Authorities will also be looking at at least one off-duty police officer working security there.

East St. Louis Police Chief Lenzie Stewart said he didn't believe the officer had the required approval to work at the club.

It was unclear how or whether he was involved in the brawl.

Morrissey said authorities aren't sure how many people were injured in the Blackmon's Plaza brawl.

Some of the patrons were from outside the area and have been hard to reach.

He asked victims or others with information to contact the Ilinois State Police.

Morrissey said the State Police also want to see raw video of the fight; the versions online have been edited and set to music.

The liquor control panel decided to suspend Blackmon's Plaza's liquor license until April 21. The club can open during that time, but can't sell alcohol.

The city also fined Blackmon's Plaza $1,000. Members of the liquor control commission said they were most concerned by the club's failure to maintain a list of licensed, bonded and certified security officers on the premises and by the behavior of some of the security guards shown in the video.

After the hearing, owner Johnnie Blackmon said he could handle the $1,000 fine imposed.

"I can deal with that," Blackmon said. "They didn't take the license. I would have liked for the days to have been cut down but it's all in the game."

Blackmon said he had been fined once before, but blamed both incidents on rap music. Any time a club hosts such concerts, he said, they'll be fined because patrons will fight.

Mayor Alvin Parks said Blackmon and the owners of several other businesses have offered to pay for on-duty police officers to patrol near the businesses.

[XZER0]

shit that was a hard slam!

[fredstones]

EAST ST. LOUIS • The city suspended a club's liquor license and fined the owner after a weekend brawl that was captured on video footage and posted to Documentingreality.com.

That's right the good people of DR are just trying to do their part.

Nice security. The guy in the black vest is a motherfucker. I'm suprised he didn't just cuff someone and really fuck em up.

[Faline]

Chairs flying everywhere

[indtransformer]

Gun went off when the dude in the vest pistol whipped that guy.

[alioni]

[drm82]

[Black Knight]

pathetic. Chances are that it didn't end there and someone involved would come back with a gun. If not that night, eventually.

[TheCapn]

Its a shame how the majority of security is just people who want to fight being paid for it.

[ReadYourOwnName]

cool vid