4 dead, at least 20 injured after shooting at South Carolina coastal bar: 'Screaming and panic and fear'



Four people are dead and at least 20 people are injured after a shooting at a bar on the South Carolina coast early Sunday morning, officials told the Associated Press.

A large crowd was at Willie’s Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island when arriving sheriff’s deputies found many people with gunshot wounds, the AP said. St. Helena Island is just north of Hilton Head Island.

'Our prayers are with the victims, their families, and everyone impacted by this horrific act of violence.'

Bar owner Willie Turral was inside the restaurant — which was full of patrons there for a high school alumni gathering — when he heard shots “in bursts” outside, the AP said, adding that Turral said the reaction was "screaming and panic and fear.”

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that it received reports about the shooting shortly before 1 a.m.

"Upon arriving at the scene, deputies made contact with a large crowd of people, several of which were suffering from gunshot wounds," the statement reads. "It was learned that hundreds of people were at the location when the shooting occurred. Multiple victims and witnesses ran to the nearby businesses and properties seeking shelter from the [gunshots]."

More from the sheriff's office:

The circumstances of this incident are still under investigation. At this time, we know that at least 20 people were injured. Four were transported to area hospitals in critical conditions and four victims were pronounced deceased at the scene. Names of victims will not be released at this time. The Beaufort County Coroner’s Office may release additional information regarding the deceased victims pending notification of their next of kin.

The sheriff's office added that it is "investigating persons of interest."

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Turral said his bar was hosting an alumni event for Battery Creek High School in Beaufort, which is about 10 miles northwest of St. Helena Island, the AP reported.

Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (S.C.) posted on X that she was “COMPLETELY HEARTBROKEN to learn about the devastating shooting in Beaufort County. Our prayers are with the victims, their families, and everyone impacted by this horrific act of violence."

The AP said about 5,000 or more Gullah people living on St. Helena Island trace their ancestry to enslaved West Africans who worked rice plantations in the area before being freed at the time of the Civil War.

Willie’s Bar and Grill advertises itself as serving authentic Gullah-inspired food and describes itself on its website as “not just a restaurant but a community pillar committed to giving back, especially to our youth," the AP added.

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Bouncer caught on video smashing male's head through car window, putting him in chokehold. But cops get a break in the case.



A viral video out of Baltimore shows a bouncer putting a male in a chokehold outside a bar — and then smashing the male's head through the window of a car parked on the street's curb.

The 51-second clip has garnered views climbing toward 10 million as of Thursday afternoon.

'Learn to de-escalate, communicate, and walk away.'

In the video, the rather large bouncer is standing on a sidewalk telling a smaller male to "leave."

Soon the smaller male's hand appears to make contact with the bouncer's chest, and the bouncer advances toward the guy — who soon appears to bump the bouncer in an attempt to walk by him.

Immediately the bouncer grabs the male around the neck from behind and puts him in the chokehold. About seven seconds later, the male taps repeatedly on the bouncer's arm — a commonly known "I give up" signal in MMA fighting.

But the tap doesn't work on this Baltimore street.

The chokehold continues, the bouncer wrenches the male's neck a few times while spinning him around, and there are more taps on the bouncer's arm.

"He tapped! He tapped! Let him go! Let him go!" one person is heard pleading in the clip.

Then the bouncer ups the ante and smashes the male's head through a car window.

"Yo! Chill out!" a person is heard yelling at the bouncer, who by this point has taken the male behind the vehicle — now missing one window — as a second bouncer approaches.

Finally, the 33-second chokehold ends, the pair of bouncers restrain the male against the back of the vehicle in question, and they appear to let him go into the street as the clip ends.

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WJZ-TV reported that the incident occurred on East Cross Street in the city's Federal Hill neighborhood near the Cross Street Public House restaurant.

A restaurant spokesperson told the station the establishment doesn't employ the bouncer in question and that Ace Event Services Group provided security. WJZ added that the restaurant and the security company "have since parted ways."

Baltimore Democrat Councilman Isaac Yitzy Schleifer said that "both Bouncers/Security guards need to be held accountable."

Baltimore police initially told WJZ they were aware of the video and attempting to figure out what went down; by Monday, police told the station they were trying to identify the bouncer in the video.

On Wednesday, Baltimore police announced that 41-year-old Kevin Weaver turned himself in — and is facing a first-degree aggravated assault charge.

Baltimore Police on Thursday told Blaze News, "We are unable to share a mugshot [of Weaver] at this time."

In the aftermath of the viral video, WBFF-TV reported that some in the neighborhood are unsettled about the incident.

"I mean, the kid's not 21, but that doesn't mean you get to rough 'em," one person told the station.

Another added to WBFF that "in security, you have to take some abuse from the public, but you don't hit his head into a window ... that's disgusting."

The station said police have yet to confirm the identity of the person who was placed in the chokehold.

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Kim Klacik — host of "Kim Klacik Live" on WCBM-AM and a former candidate for the U.S. House who ran as a Republican — noted to WBFF in a follow-up story that "when it comes to police saying there is no report yet, I don't believe this is something uncommon in these scenarios, considering that that young man that had his head rammed through the car window could have possibly been a minor."

Pete Brazil — who worked security at another bar — told the station in a separate story that the bouncer's actions were over the top: "For 30 seconds — I do not condone that. He tapped, so he shoulda let him go."

WBFF said Brazil recognized the bouncer and described him as usually "a pretty cool, calm, collected dude" who "just had a bad day."

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Brazil added to the station that "fights happen every day. I'm just happy that no one really got hurt."

Another area bouncer told WBFF that those working security at bars need to "learn to de-escalate, communicate, and walk away."

Mark Crosby — a pro-life Baltimore resident who was brutally beaten up in front of a Planned Parenthood in the city, only for admitted culprit Patrick Brice to walk away without any jail time — told Blaze News the chokehold and car-window smash were "horrific."

Crosby added to Blaze News that all the much-larger bouncer had to do was "smack him once, and that would've been enough."

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Ohio bar imposes weekend ban on those under 30 to curb violence: Report



Young professionals in the greater Groveport, Ohio, area will have to find somewhere else to go or something else to do on the weekend now that one local bar has banned anyone under age 30 from entering on Friday and Saturday nights, likely in an effort to curb violence.

Two weeks ago, the folks at Donerick’s Pub in Groveport, about 20 minutes outside Columbus, posted to Facebook a photo of a new sign alerting prospective patrons about their policies. For one thing, those arriving after 10 p.m. have to pay the $5 or $10 cover charge in cash. "No cash app/No Venmo!" the sign read.

'The amount of clientele we’ve gained on the weekends has made us have to make adjustments for safety purposes. Keeping our customers safe is our top priority!'

However, the policy that has attracted the most attention is that adults under 30 years of age will no longer be welcome on Friday and Saturday nights. "No exceptions," the sign emphasized.

Though the establishment did not specify the reason for this new policy, a few comments referenced a fight that reportedly occurred in a parking lot outside Donerick's shortly before the policy was imposed. An Instagram video depicting a fight and with Donerick's as its tagged location shows at least three women, one of whom is entirely naked, scuffling while a crowd of bystanders stand about.

Donerick's seemed to confirm the incident in reply to a suggestion about imposing a dress code. When one user doubted whether such a dress code would be effective since one of the women in the fight had no clothes on, Donerick's joked, "I can promise you she did when she entered and left the building!"

A couple of posts also suggested a shooting occurred near the bar, and Donerick's responded to one of those posts without issuing a denial. Donerick's also tacitly acknowledged in another reply that "violence" has become a problem. "We will try different methods to keep the violence down. It will not be tolerated," the account stated.

"The amount of clientele we’ve gained on the weekends has made us have to make adjustments for safety purposes. Keeping our customers safe is our top priority!" it said in response to another comment.

Most users in the comments supported the new age-based policy. Many even suggested bumping the age up to 35 or 40. However, others slammed the bar for engaging in ageism.

"What they are doing is illegal its age discrimination. Sue em," one person wrote.

"If the state is 21 and up bars should not be allowed to discriminate against 21- 29 year olds in my opinion. Because not only do you hurt your sales but you lose customers as well," said another.

Donerick's did not respond to the New York Post's request for comment.

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Woman with 6-month-old at home allegedly stabs 2 bar bouncers — 1 in face, 1 in neck — using keychain spike, bites a third



A woman with a six-month-old child at home allegedly stabbed two bouncers at a Connecticut bar Saturday — one in the face, one in the neck and back — using a keychain spike and bit a third, WVIT-TV reported.

What are the details?

A bouncer at 75 Center in Southington around 1:30 a.m. was “attempting to escort several parties out of the bar who were having a verbal dispute” — and among them were 24-year-old Heidi Montes of Wallingford, her brother 28-year-old Adrian Montes of Springfield, Massachusetts, as well as 32-year-old Stuart Chase of Leeds, Massachusetts, the station said, citing court documents.

When they continued “verbal and aggressive behavior,” they were told to leave but didn’t, WVIT said, citing the incident report.

With that, bouncers physically removed them from the bar, the station said, and things escalated.

Cellphone video shows Chase punching a bouncer, WVIT said, after which a fight ensued on the sidewalk.

“Let go of him right now, let go of him,” Heidi Montes is heard saying in the video, the station said.

She's accused at that point of using pepper spray, stabbing two bouncers, and biting a third, WVIT reported.

“The allegations are that she stabbed a security guard at a restaurant in the back and in the neck, she also stabbed another security guard in the face,” an assistant state's attorney said in court Monday, the station said. “Both stabbings were done with a spike on her keychain, and she allegedly bit a third person in the chest.”

CT Insider said Heidi Montes "held the shank between her fingers while punching a bouncer in the back of the head, then switched to holding it like 'an ice pick' and continued striking the bouncer in the head, according to a police report. The bouncer reported seeing 'blood everywhere,' the report states." The outlet added that she used the shank "like a brass knuckle."

Police found Heidi Montes and Adrian Montes in a public parking lot across the street, fought with them, and took the shank, which had blood on it, CT Insider said, citing the police report. They were both detained, as was Chase, police added to the outlet.

'Long-term nerve damage'

“All three of those victims went to the hospital, and the person who was stabbed in the face needed stitches, and they have long-term nerve damage,” the prosecutor said, according to WVIT.

Heidi Montes’ public defender tried to get her bond lowered, saying she has a six-month-old child at home who needs her, and she was acting in self-defense, the station said.

“There are people here who are prepared to give affidavits and witness statements indicating this was self-defense," her public defender said to the judge, WVIT reported. "I understand that the charges are serious and there are serious injuries here."

The judge set Heidi Montes' bond at $200,000 for charges including second-degree assault, third-degree assault, and breach of peace, the station said, adding that she was ordered to have no contact with the victims.

Court records on Tuesday indicated that Heidi Montes has not been released from custody and is scheduled for an April 8 court appearance.

Chase was arraigned on charges of interfering/resisting arrest and second-degree breach of peace, WVIT reported, adding that his bond was set at $25,000. Court records on Tuesday indicated that Chase has not been released from custody; there is no court date for him.

Adrian Montes also was charged with interfering/resisting arrest and second-degree breach of peace and was released on a promise to appear, the station said.

Woman accused of stabbing bouncers at Southington restaurant faces judge youtu.be

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3 dead, 2 injured in mass shooting at Kansas City nightclub, police say



Three people have died and two people were injured in a shooting at a night club early Sunday morning in Kansas City, Missouri, KSHB reported.

Officers responded to a call around 1:25 a.m. about a shooting at Klymax Lounge. When they arrived, they found five victims.

Kansas City Police Department spokesperson Donna Drake told the Kansas City Star all five victims are believed to be adults.

Two people were pronounced dead at the scene. One was found inside the bar, the other outside, the outlet also reported. Three wounded people were transported to the hospital by emergency medical personnel.

Of the three people transported to the hospital, the first was soon pronounced dead. A second victim is in critical condition. The third is victim in stable condition, Drake told the Star.

Klymax Lounge, formerly called Club 42, is located in a residential area at 4244 Indiana Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Star reports detectives and investigators are processing the scene for evidence and seeking out witnesses.

KSHB reporter Caroline Hogan described the crime scene Sunday morning as "tense." Reporting from behind crime scene tape near the bar in a residential neigbhorhood, Hogan said "lots of police" were in the area and "a lot of neighbors just wondering what is going on."

Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forté shared an update from KCPD and four photos from the scene early Sunday morning on Twitter.

\u201cUpdate from KCPD: Early Morning Shooting Leaves Three Dead and One in Critical Condition \n\nOfficers responded on a shooting near 43rd and Indiana. Upon arrival multiple victims were located.\n@KansasCity @JacksonCountyMO @kcpolice @JCSheriffOffice\u201d
— Darryl Forte' (@Darryl Forte') 1684660103

A website for the venue is quite sparse, containing only a map, contact information, business hours, and a few testimonials. Business hours are listed for every day of the week between 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. The most recent posting to a Facebook page listed for the club was January 11.

TheBlaze has reached out for comment from Klymax Restaurant and Lounge.

People with information about the shooting can call detectives at 816-234-5043. Those wishing to provide information anonymously can call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. A reward of up to $25,000 is available for information leading to an arrest, according to the Star.

Watch reporting from KSHB below covering a mass shooting at a night club in Kansas City, Missouri that left at least 3 people dead and 2 others injured early Sunday morning.



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​Lawyer points gun at ex-girlfriend bartender, fires shot that barely misses, cops say — then two heroic customers step up in a big way to end lethal threat



Police say an attorney walked into an Austin, Texas, pub over the weekend, pointed a gun at his bartending ex-girlfriend, and fired a shot that barely missed her.

With that, a pair of customers stepped up heroically, tackling the gunman and ending the lethal threat.

What are the details?

Gavin Edward Rush, 41, entered the Anderson Mill Pub after 11:30 a.m. Saturday to confront his ex-girlfriend as she worked her shift, KEYE-TV reported, citing an arrest affidavit.

Their three-year relationship ended about a month and a half before, KTBC-TV reported, adding that when she rejected his desire to get back together, police said he sent several texts threatening to harm her and her new partner.

Police added that when she stopped answering Rush's texts — though informing him she was at work — he took a trip to the pub, KTBC said.

Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @mkelly007

When she refused to talk to him, Rush pulled out a gun and pointed it at her — and a red dot from a laser sight was centered on her chest, KEYE said, citing the police affidavit.

Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @mkelly007

KTBC said he fired a shot that narrowly missed her. The police affidavit indicates that one of the shots hit a bar mirror directly behind where Rush’s ex-girlfriend was standing, KEYE reported.

Two customers who knew the backstory tackled Rush and wrestled the firearm away, KTBC said, adding that he continued to shoot the gun during the struggle and tried to kill himself.

Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @mkelly007

Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @mkelly007

"It's hard to tell your story. In her case, it did work out that she was able to find some trusted people who did end up potentially saving her life," Nikhita Ved, vice president of community services at the SAFE Alliance, told KTBC.

Austin Councilmember Mackenzie Kelly posted surveillance video of the incident:

\u201cEarlier this week there was a shooting at a local bar in my district. This attorney belongs behind bars, pending a lengthy jury of his peers. I\u2019m deeply disturbed watching this video and committed to a safe city.\u201d
— Mackenzie Kelly (@Mackenzie Kelly) 1669677025

What happened next?

Rush is facing a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon involving family violence, KEYE said, adding that the bond was set at $40,000, which typically means the suspect pays 10% — in this case, $4,000.

Indeed, Rush has already bonded out of jail, KTBC said, adding that Thomas Villareal — who heads up the Austin Police Association — stated that "the courts have failed this victim."

The judge did grant the ex-girlfriend an emergency protection order, KEYE said.

KTBC said Rush's law firm issued the following statement: "Gavin Rush no longer works at the firm. We do not tolerate hatred or violence of any kind. Our thoughts are with the victims who experienced a significant trauma that day."

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