Maurice Hartridge: Brooklyn bouncer arrested for fatally stabbing patron over drink bill dispute
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: Maurice Hartridge, a bouncer at Catch 22 bar in Brooklyn, has been arrested and charged with manslaughter following the fatal stabbing of Daryl Dawkins, a patron, during a dispute over a drink bill.
The altercation, which erupted outside the Third Avenue establishment in Bay Ridge shortly before 3 am on April 7, has sent shockwaves through the community and raised concerns about bar safety protocols.
Insights into fatal stabbing
According to authorities, Dawkins, a former Brooklyn resident who had relocated to Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, had been at the bar for “quite some time” and “trying to buy numerous women drinks” before the altercation ensued.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny revealed that Dawkins "begins to argue with a female bartender about his bill. He gets to the point where a male bartender comes over, and asks him to kind of cool out a little bit. He refuses. At this point, the bouncers decide that he’s going to be escorted outside."
“At one point [in] some very grainy video, it appears he swings on one of the bouncers and there’s a physical altercation,” the officer added. “And then you see him fall to the floor. He receives one stab wound to the upper left chest [that] hits him in the heart and aorta.” Despite efforts by officers to administer aid and transport Dawkins to NYU Langone Brooklyn, he succumbed to his injuries.
Community concerns mount as bouncer faces charges in fatal altercation
Hartridge, who resides in the Bronx but was employed as a bouncer at the Brooklyn bar, has been identified as the last individual to have made "physical contact" with Dawkins before the fatal incident. He now faces serious charges in connection with the tragedy.
The incident has reignited concerns among residents about the safety and management of Catch 22 bar, with reports of previous disturbances and rowdiness surrounding the establishment. “The place is always crazy, always an argument outside,” a female resident claimed.
Calls for increased vigilance and stricter regulations have emerged, with community members urging authorities to take action to prevent future incidents. “It was crazy very often, but now they are holding it down,” Moses Alhusaini, 39, manager of M&S Minimarket across the street, said. “The owner is taking it very seriously. That’s why I am shocked and surprised to see this now.”
According to the DA's office, Hartridge was remanded to custody with a bail set at $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Friday.
