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Three Wilmington bouncers arrested after early morning fight

Submitted by WWAY on Thu, 08/06/2009 - 4:42pm.READ MORE:

Three bouncers at a downtown Wilmington bar were arrested following an early morning bar fight. It happened at Sidebar, on Front Street, around 2:00 a.m. Officers said they got there just in time to see a bouncer push a male patron out the door so hard, he flew in the air and landed on his back, hitting his head on the sidewalk. The 20-year-old man suffered serious injuries to his face. Witnesses said the patron was in a fight, and the bouncers were trying to break it up. This has other downtown bars and restaurants taking extra precautions to keep their patrons safe. "If there is an incident inside, we try to keep it out as quickly as possible and try to keep people that are causing trouble away from people who are trying to have a good time,” said Front Street Brewery manager Seth Westberry. “Once it gets outside there are no further issues." The three bouncers were charged with assault with a deadly weapon. James Butler, Stephen Fox, and Cedric Simpson are all out of jail on bond.

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i dun get any of you.. if

Submitted by random person (not verified) on Fri, 02/19/2010 - 6:39pm.

i dun get any of you.. if someone is swinging and throwing punches at you and your the bouncer, do you think your just gonna keep kindly asking them to leave? no, ur going to do what you have to do to get that person out of there and make the trouble stop. its there job to stop that stuff and they shuld be able to use the necessary force to do there job

People need to get a grip

Submitted by sperry (not verified) on Fri, 09/25/2009 - 8:32pm.

First, let me say I have known Cedric for many years. I have never seen anything but good from him. I have been to the bars he has bounced and he is calm when it comes to reacting to any situation. Second, people are looking for any reason to explode on our local law enforcement. Shame on you....not all the guys in blue or brown depending on the department are all bad. Third, half the fights in our bars and downtown area are because people need to grow up and either quit drinking or learn to handle you liquour people. If people seen how stupid they look puking down our sidewalks, walking into light poles, and such other behaviors. I am serious, if you need a good laugh, go downtown after about 12am and watch the morons on the street.

About time

Submitted by KarmaGotYaSteve (not verified) on Fri, 09/25/2009 - 2:17pm.

The door guys at sidebar the past couple years are all jerks on power trips. You give them a door job and they think they are something special. It's about time. I guess karma got ya Steve? I'd love to be able to visit you in jail. I've been going there for several years though, never seen Cedric do anything like this. James has always been quiet too.

COPS

Submitted by Guest00 (not verified) on Fri, 08/14/2009 - 9:47pm.

As far as cops picking up extra work really is not what I understood people to be upset about. I believe they were questioning why they would be wearing the WPD Uniform when they were not representing or at that point working for the city or all taxpayers but working for the particular bar that had hired them. I don't care if they do this but I do care if they wear a uniform. If you are not on duty you should not have the uniform on. JUST LIKE THE MILITARY....THEY CAN'T BE WALKING AROUND IN UNIFORM. I agree with the other writer it is a conflict of interest. Would they leave their post at the bar that hired them to chase after someone who had committed a crime at lets say a bar down the street...don''t think so! People are tired of the police talking threw both sides of their mouth.

Bouncers should be watched closely

Submitted by Patron (not verified) on Sat, 08/08/2009 - 3:51pm.

The bouncers are OUT OF CONTROL in downtown! These wanna be MMA fighters have a license to beat on anyone they desire and more often than not the cops let it happen! City limits is no different than Sidebar, Sidebar just got busted..If City Limits bouncers keep up their antics, they're sure to be next..A few calls have been placed to the establishment, but unfortunately, no one is responsible enough to return a call!

Bouncers were "Breaking up a Fight"

Submitted by Windy (not verified) on Sat, 08/08/2009 - 11:12am.

If, the bouncers were breaking up a fight...why was the other person not arrested, no mention of them at all...If the officers saw the bouncer push the un-named 20 y.o. out and landed on his back hitting his head...then who did the serious injuries to his face...the other person who did not get arrested?...I know Cedric personally and he is the nicest guy, I would hire him as a bodygaurd in a skinny minute...I would feel most safe with him...even over the WPD!

What these bars need is a

Submitted by GuestOutWest (not verified) on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 11:30am.

What these bars need is a ole 6'5" tobacco spittin' Marshall from the olden days of the Wild West. Our police aren't keeping these fights from happening. "Get outta line.....get outta town by sundown partna"! SPIT!!!!

what are you talking about?

Submitted by confused (not verified) on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 11:00am.

Maybe I missed it but where do you see off duty cops were the ones who responded. I am sure somebody went running out of the club to go get an officer or they do walk around when it gets close to 2 am especially down near the busiest bars and SideBar is one of them.I dont see where you can even get mad at the police officers...the bouncer should not have thrown him out the door to the point where he fell down and hit his head!!!!! and why was there a 20 year old in there to begin with?

OFF DUTY

Submitted by Guest23 (not verified) on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 10:09am.

First off please use spell check and second I would think off duty cops standing by the bars would be a conflict of interest since they might be tempted to go to that bar first if there were an incident instead of helping others out. Thirdly the cops I have seen standing out there are in uniform. Last time I checked you should not have WPD uniform on if you are off duty and being paid by another source. At this point you are not representing WPD you are on your own!!! I think they should not be able to do this. Now if they want to go be security at a warehouse etc. then go but to me this is a conflict of interest. That's it!

Like guesty said.

Submitted by Guest4356 (not verified) on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 4:30pm.

Like guesty said. People/businesses can pay the city to have uniformed officers that are not working their regular shift work what are called off duty contracts. Officers that volunteer to work these contracts are paid by the city who gets the money from the business.

Called working a contract

Submitted by guesty on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 10:17am.

It is called working a contract where a site pays to have an officer stand by. Go by a movie set, go to most of the Food Lion's and yes, City Limits and you will see officers wearing their uniforms while being paid by the establishment.

AGE LIMIT

Submitted by Guest90 (not verified) on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 9:43am.

Last time I went to a bar there was an age limit! Has this changed? Maybe the cops should see what else is shady about this place! There's a thought! And where were the cops? Everytime I go downtown on Fri/Sat. night they are by the City Saloon or the Sidebar! So were they taking a coffee/donut break, oh forgot they have sworn them off to lose weight according to the news!

You ask where were the police? They were working.

Submitted by Guest2009 (not verified) on Sun, 08/09/2009 - 3:30am.

Yes, there are often a lot of uniformed officers with the WPD standing around City Limits Saloon and the Sidebar. Although, when altercations errupts involving patrons at Club Rhino or Club Rox police officer's must scramble to that area of 2nd and Market Street to clear up the roads to ensure pedestrian safety because about 300 people will be conjesting the street corners making it difficult for taxis, ambulances, and other motorists from heading to their destinations. If commen sense, self-awereness, respect, and discipline was ever practiced downtown then most of the bad activity wouldn't develop in the first place! Also, there are sometimes plain clothes officer's around. Not all officer's are in uniforms, though they will be able to identify themselves when necessary. Yes, many downtown nightclubs do have hired-contracts with the WPD.

Actually I am pretty sure

Submitted by Guest00000000000000 (not verified) on Fri, 08/07/2009 - 9:58am.

Actually I am pretty sure that the city limits saloon pays for off duty officers to stand in front of there club.

yep

Submitted by Guest4553221 (not verified) on Sat, 08/08/2009 - 3:18pm.

Yep, city limits does pay for the officers that stand out front.

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