Bouncer Charged With Beating Customers Outside Canal Street Bar
BOSTON (CBS) – A 31-year-old club bouncer is facing a charge of Assault & Battery by means of a dangerous weapon after a fight outside The Grand Canal, a popular club on Canal Street in Boston. There is video posted online of the incident early Sunday morning and it's now gotten the attention of the city.
The video shows pushing and shoving that then turns to kicking and stomping. We showed the video to people walking by the area. "Your immediate reaction is it seems excessive," said Tom Smith. "You don't kick a man when he's down," his friend Stan Gusinski reacted.
Police identified the man in the video as Sidney Phillips, a bouncer at the club. According to the police report filed in the incident, it all began with an argument inside that led to Phillips and others bouncers leading two groups outside with what was described as great physical force. "I think it's too far. I think he took it way too far," said Lauren Butkiewicz. "I got to say it's just not civilized," added Bob McCarthy who'd just eaten at The Grand Canal.
When police responded around 1:30 in the morning Sunday, their report says the owner and manager were not very cooperative and that the bouncer was down in the basement trying to avoid officers. We tried to give Phillips a chance to give his side of the story, but no one answered at his Avon home.
The Grand Canal released this statement staying, "We do not have all the facts. We are doing our own investigation. We have no further comment at this time"
The owner, David Murray, though, will go before the city's licensing board Tuesday morning over three past complaints including another case late last year where an employee allegedly assaulted a patron and police were not called. WBZ also confirmed tonight the Mayor's Office of Consumer Affairs and Licensing, separate from the liquor board, just this past Friday, gave The Grand Canal an upcoming five-day suspension for a similar incident involving the same employee. That board will hold a hearing on this latest case April 17th.
Four people were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital Sunday morning with what officers described as visible injuries to their faces and heads. Sidney Phillips will be arraigned Tuesday Boston Municipal Court.
