2006-11-23Staff Report 2 "By Petronella Sibeene WINDHOEK A 23-year-old South African man was stabbed to death during a row outside a LÃÆ'Æ'Æ'ÃÆ''šÃ‚¼deritz nightclub over the weekend. The attack happened shortly after the nightclub, Stepps-In, closed at about 04h30 on Sunday. According to a source, the row that led to the stabbing was not a ""mass brawl"" but appeared to be a minor flare-up among a group of young people. ""I called the police when the fight started and then again tried to call again but all was in vain,"" said the security guard who was on duty at the Bay View Hotel situated near the club. Six young men are reported to have started arguing inside the club and upon being told to go outside the club by the owner, the argument continued. One man pulled out a knife from his pocket and stabbed the 23-year-old on the right side of the neck. When the security guard called the police the reply was reportedly that they were too busy at the time. ""The security called the police when the fight started.ÃÆ'Æ'ÀÃ...ÃÆ''šÃ‚ No one came and subsequently the young man was stabbed in the neck and bled to death. NoÃÆ'Æ'ÀÃ...ÃÆ''šÃ‚ one evenÃÆ'Æ'ÀÃ...ÃÆ''šÃ‚ gaveÃÆ'Æ'ÀÃ...ÃÆ''šÃ‚ him any assistanceÃÆ'Æ'ÀÃ...ÃÆ''šÃ‚ to stop the bleeding,"" the source told New Era.ÃÆ'Æ'ÀÃ...ÃÆ''šÃ‚ ÃÆ'Æ'ÀÃ...ÃÆ''šÃ‚ Police have so far arrested two suspects.ÃÆ'Æ'ÀÃ...ÃÆ''šÃ‚ According to one concerned resident in the area, this is not the first time such an incident has taken place at the club. The club is reported to be open until 6am despite being on a liquor license that stipulates that it closes at 2am, the concerned resident said Tuesday. ""This is not the first stabbing in connection with the club andÃÆ'Æ'ÀÃ...ÃÆ''šÃ‚ despite pleas from all the surrounding neighbours, nothing has been done.ÃÆ'Æ'ÀÃ...ÃÆ''šÃ‚ A tragedy like this could have been avoided if this place closed at the legal hour.ÃÆ'Æ'ÀÃ...ÃÆ''šÃ‚ A sad fact of how a life ends in the gutter,"" the source said. The owner of the club is alleged to have been arrested twice this year for illegal hour operations but has always been released on bail of N$300. Efforts to seek comment from the owner were futile as he did not pick up his cell phone. Attempts to get comment from the police regional commander also proved fruitless as his mobile phone was constantly on voice-mail. The five men thereafter went on a rampage and beat up three security guards at different points that morning. The shop windows at JJ Trading in the waterfront area were also broken a short while after the incident before the culprits beat up a security guard at M&Z garage. The victim was left unconscious and was taken to the LÃÆ'Æ'Æ'ÃÆ''šÃ‚¼deritz State Hospital. His condition is reported to be stable." 2006-11-23Staff Report 2
