Bouncer punches customer outside bar; Man later dies from injuries

By Alicia Roberts

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — New video obtained by CBS3 shows a bouncer outside a Center City bar punching a customer. Eyewitness News learned Monday that the man died from his injuries sustained outside Tabu Lounge and Sports Bar.

Sources close to the investigation say they have a person of interest and he is cooperating.

“When you see the punch, the guy hits the ground, it’s just devastating,” a man said.

Video obtained by CBS3 shows the moments before a Tabu Lounge and Sports Bar customer, 41-year-old Eric Pope, is punched in the head by a bouncer.

Sources close to the investigation say Pope was on 12th Street after being escorted out of the bar for being intoxicated around 1 a.m. Saturday, April 16.

At some point, Pope appears to approach the back of a white SUV. Immediately after, the bouncer walks up to Pope and punches him.

Pope falls immediately, hitting his head on the pavement.

He remained on the ground for nearly two minutes, until the bouncer and another person drag him to the sidewalk.

Pope was eventually taken to the hospital and put on life support. He died from his injuries this past Saturday.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner spoke about the case.

“I can tell you it’s a situation we take very seriously and as soon as we are ready to make an announcement about it we will,” Krasner said.

Those familiar with the neighborhood say they’ve had issues with the security staff before and worried something like this would happen.

“The bouncers, they’re horrible, they intimidate you,” a man said. “That could be anyone’s sons. Yeah, he was drunk. It looked like he was having a good time, it didn’t look like he was being abusive or anything, he was just dancing on the street.”

CBS3 reached out to the owner of Tabu who says, “The bouncer involved was not an employee of Tabu and the incident in question did not occur on our property,” adding their management immediately called 911 when they learned what happened and are cooperating with police in the investigation.

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