Man fatally injured during brawl in nightclub
One man is dead after being stabbed during a wild brawl at a Calgary nightclub early Sunday.
Just before 3 a.m. Sunday, police were called to the Paranoia Nightclub on 5th Avenue S.E. for reports that someone had been injured during a disturbance.
When police arrived, they found a man in his 30s with lifethreatening injuries. The man was rushed to hospital where he later died.
Homicide detectives are investigating and an autopsy has been scheduled for Monday.
The nightclub had been celebrating its one-year anniversary Saturday night.
“It was a big event,” said Jahfaru Zabsonre, a DJ who was playing there Saturday.
Zabsonre said he saw a big fight break out just before 3 a.m. Sunday.
“I don’t know who was who. All I saw is just bottles flying everywhere,” he said. “It was a brawl. Everybody was just grabbing bottles.”
He said he and a few others sought safety in the back office as the fight unfolded.
“The next thing I know, everybody ’s screaming and the guy is stabbed.
“I don’t know who specifically did it,” Zabsonre said.
EMS said it also transported a second man to hospital in nonlife-threatening condition.
“Since it opened, it was the first time something like this has happened,” Zabsonre said. “To be honest, I don’t know what to say. It’s out of the ordinary for me. I’ve never seen anyone get stabbed like that, just out of nowhere in front of me like that. It’s pretty traumatizing.”
The Calgary Police Service homicide unit is investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call Calgary police at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800222-8477.
If deemed a homicide, it would be Calgary ’s 15th of 2018.