Police: Man denied use of bathroom made knife threats
Patrons at sports bar intervene in reported altercation.
Told that a suburban West Palm Beach sports bar’s bathroom was for paying customers only, Brice Thompkins began “ac ting craz y ” and threatened to kill two men who were sitting in front of the bar Thursday night, authorities said.
T h o m p k i n s a l l e g e d l y banged on the windows of Girafa’s Sports Grill on Forest Hill Boulevard just west of the city. He took offff his shirt and pulled a knife from his pocket, a Palm Beach County Sheriffff ’s Offiffice arrest report said.
Af t e r a l l e ge d l y making threats with the knife, Thompkins ended up being arrested on one count each of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and battery on person older than 65.
Thompkins, 34, of Riviera Beach was being held without bail Monday at the Palm Beach County Jail. Prior to the alleged incident, he caused disturbances at several other businesses in Forest Hill Plaza, where the sports bar is located, authorities said.
Thompkins “aggressively approached” two men sitting outside of Girafa’s and told them he was going inside to use the restroom, according to the arrest report. The bar’s general manager told him that only paying customers could use the restroom. Thompkins allegedly pulled a knife and pointed it at the stomach of a man who owns an advertising business in the plaza.
The general manager ran to his car to get a Taser. However, a group of bar patrons stepped in and separated Thompkins from the advertising business owner, the report said.
Deputies responded to the scene and took Thompkins into custody. A witness told investigators that Thompkins had placed the knife into a trash can. When questioned, Thompkins reportedly told investigators he pulled the weapon after the other men got into his face and pushed him.
He r e p o r t e d l y s a i d h e dropped the knife into a trash can because he didn’t want the police to take it.