A violent confrontation between a Toronto pool bar’s security team and partygoers is being investigated by police after video surfaced that appears to show a bouncer repeatedly punching one of the men.
Josh Gomes told CTV Toronto that he was partying at Cabana Pool Bar at around 7:30 p.m. local time on Saturday evening, when a friend of his became involved in an altercation. Gomes said he intervened when his friend was grabbed and put into a headlock by one of the establishment’s bouncers.
“I’ve been clubbing a lot and that’s a normal thing – if he’s getting kicked out, he’s getting kick out,” Gomes said. “But then I saw a bunch more bouncers hop in and start beating on him, punching him. That was too much.”
Gomes says he threw a cup of water at the bouncer, to get his attention.
“That’s when the commotion took a step in another direction,” he said.
The moments after Gomes tossed the water at the bouncer was caught on video by another bar patron who wished to remain anonymous.
The bouncer, with his T-shirt visibly wet, can be seen in the video landing a powerful blow to the side of Gomes’ head.
The pair pause for a moment to exchange words before the bouncer appears to lunge at Gomes’ and repeatedly punch him in front of the surrounding crowd.
“I asked him, ‘What was that about?’ and he replied in a cocky manner, ‘What’re you going to do?’” Gomes recalled.
The partygoer said he put his hands up in self-defence because there “wasn’t much” he could do.
The woman who shot the video said Gomes “didn’t have anything to do with” the fight that started the brawl.
Gomes’ friend, Alvaro Cuadra, told CTV Toronto on Monday that the brawl with the security team started when he had pushed one of the bouncers who had allegedly grabbed his girlfriend by the wrist for smoking in a non-smoking area.
“He actually grabbed my girlfriend in a really aggressive manner and I approached him and said, ‘Don’t touch my girlfriend like that,’” he said. “Once I did that, another bouncer came up from behind and punched me.”
Cuadra said he exchanged punches with the bouncers, and there were at least four involved in the confrontation.
“I just kept protecting myself and my girlfriend was near me screaming for them to stop, but they didn’t stop,” he said.
Gomes said he reported the altercation to police on Monday.
Cabana Pool Bar’s parent company, INK Entertainment, issued a statement to CTV Toronto on Monday.
“We are cooperating with the Toronto Police Service so that they can understand the entire context of what took place including the customer conduct that lead to the altercation. Our priority is to ensure that our venue is a safe place for everyone including staff and customers,” INK Entertainment Director of Risk Management Jamil Kamal wrote.
A spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service, Const. Meaghan Gray, told CTV Toronto that they’re examining video evidence from the bar that day.
“The video itself, like most videos, only shows a snippet of this incident. It seems to show an assault that’s taken place between a security guard and somebody else, but of course, that’s only part of the investigation,” Gray said.
Gomes and Cuadra visited the hospital for their injuries, which included cuts and bruises to their cheeks, forehead and jaws. Gomes said he was spitting out blood all day on Sunday. He said the bar industry needs to change the way that security personnel operate in their establishments.
“Bouncers are definitely not any more above the law,” Gomes said. “Honestly, I just want to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else going forward.”
None of the allegations have been tested in court.
With files from CTV Toronto
