Laurence Hopkins: Brooklyn bouncer fatally stabbed while trying to break up brawl at bar, suspect at large
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: Laurence 'Larry' Hopkins, a dedicated 61-year-old bouncer, met a tragic end on February 10 when he intervened in a bar fight at The Garden Bar and Grill on Graham Avenue.
Hopkins, affectionately known as Larry, stepped in to help a female coworker during a dispute, but the situation took a deadly turn when a customer viciously stabbed him in the neck and the killer remains at large.
Friends and family mourn the loss of the Laurence Hopkins
Friends and loved ones grieve the loss of a man described as a good-hearted individual who only sought to maintain safety in the establishment. Billy Cullum, 36, who regarded Hopkins as an uncle despite no blood relation, expressed the deep sorrow felt by those close to the victim.
"Larry was a good man. He didn’t do nothing wrong... He just did his job, took care of the people, made sure everybody was safe. He wasn’t safe that night. His own life was taken," Cullum shared with the New York Post.
Laurence Hopkins tried to stop a dispute before fatal stabbing
The fatal incident unfolded when a disagreement erupted between two customers and a female colleague of Hopkins. Attempting to defuse the situation, the victim, who was enjoying chicken wings nearby, intervened as the clash escalated.
Urging everyone to relax, Hopkins became the target of a violent attack when one of the men broke free and stabbed him multiple times, including a forceful blow to the neck that cut through to his tongue. “You know how people get. They drink, they get testy a little bit. Larry just happened to come and tell him, ‘You gotta chill, you can’t do this. So he pulled out a weapon,” added Cullum.
Patrons finished drinks as Laurence Hopkins bled to death
Adding to reports, some patrons finished their drinks and heartlessly stepped around the injured Hopkins as he sat on a bench in his final moments.
"Some of them actually finished their drinks before stepping past the victim as he is sitting on a bench bleeding out. Sad state of affairs — at least call 911," NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny expressed his dismay at a recent briefing.
NYPD releases photo of person of interest
Hopkins' friends remember him as a beloved jokester who didn't deserve such a tragic end. "He told jokes all the time. In a room full of people, he had everybody cracking up. He was a good man. He really didn’t deserve this. It really hurts. I hope they catch this man very soon," Ollie Cameron, a lifelong friend, recalled.
Despite the prompt 911 call and first aid administered by coworkers, Hopkins succumbed to his injuries. Authorities have the murder weapon in their possession and have released a photo of a person of interest captured on video surveillance in the bar on the night of the incident.
The unidentified killer, pictured wearing a white baseball cap, a red hoodie, and a Tommy Hilfiger red, white, and blue puffer coat, remains at large.
