A bouncer at the heavy metal club, Studio 7, and a homeless art vendor got into a late night duel, in which the homeless art vendor (wielding a wooden sword that he apparently produced from inside his pants) charged after the bouncer (armed with a boxcutter and perhaps a pipe wrench), after the bouncer repeatedly told the homeless man that he was being a nusiance to patrons and could not peddle his wares outside the club’s front doors.
Conflicting accounts of the incident, which occurred in the early morning hours of December 3rd, were given by both parties, but the details we do have are included after the jump.
According to an account provided by the vendor, he was peacefully selling his art at the entrance of the venue, when the bouncer huffed and puffed and aggressively swung the front door wide open, knocking the merchant to the ground. The two then engaged in a brief verbal confrontation that escalated into the bouncer attacking the man with the boxcutter knife while repeatedly screaming “I’m going to fucking kill you,” and cutting the man’s forearm. At some point the man was able to break free, at which point he armed himself with the wooden sword, mounted a defense against the aggressing bouncer and was able to walk away.
Of course, according to the bouncer, who claims he was the victim, the night’s events unfolded quite differently:
The bouncer, who lives at the club doing both maintenance and security, was contacted by another employee who said a homeless man was loitering and causing a disturbance. Going outside, he observed the homeless man — who had previously been trespassed from the premises — with two large carts full of artwork, harassing patrons. He then approached the man, whom he described as “mentally unstable” and intimidating, telling him to be gone by the time he came back to check. He then went to his room to arm himself with the boxcutter knife.
Later, when walking out the front door of the club, the bouncer said he felt someone pushing back on the door, so he forced it open. The person pushing back was none other than the homeless art vendor whom he had told to beat it, and who now looked quite upset and was armed with a wooden sword. Then the man charged. The bouncer claims he pulled out the knife, unfolded it and swung at the homeless man in self defense, though he wasn’t sure if he cut the man or not. He said the homeless man then fled the scene.
No word yet on whether Ronnie James Dio (noted medieval weapons collector and singer for Elf, Rainbow, and Dio, among others) knighted a victor in the battle.
Police advised the homeless man to not attempt selling art to the metalheads at Studio 7 in the future. The man agreed.
