Working as a bouncer isn’t exactly the most ideal job. You have to deal with a lot of drunk people and that often means trouble. Normally a bouncer is one of the people who keeps the peace, but in this case the opposite appears to have happened. A video that circulated on Reddit and other social platforms recently shows a confrontation between a man alleged to be a bouncer and a young man described as a college student in Baltimore, Maryland. In the footage you can see the younger man swaying as he talks with a taller man who appears to be a bouncer for a nearby club. The student looks intoxicated and unsteady, and their exchange quickly spirals out of control. Without much warning, the alleged bouncer grabs the young man by the shoulder, turns him around, and puts him in a chokehold.
Passersby step back as the two struggle. The student fights against the choke; his face flushes red and purple and he repeatedly taps the bouncer’s arm as a plea for release. Onlookers shout that he is tapping and that he is “not going to sleep.” The chokehold lasts for more than ten seconds and at one point the young man goes limp, yet the bouncer does not immediately let go. The student tries to get free one more time, slapping the bouncer’s arm as he resists, and the scuffle escalates. During the struggle the alleged bouncer slams the student’s head into the window of a parked car, shattering the glass, and the two men stumble between vehicles as a security guard arrives on the scene. The clip ends shortly afterward, leaving the student’s condition and the final outcome unclear.
Baltimore Police confirmed that detectives are investigating the incident shown in the social media video. The department said it is aware of a video depicting an assault in the unit block of East Cross Street in the Southern District and that detectives are actively looking into the matter. The police added that there have been no official reports or 911 calls about the incident so far. Cross Street Public House, the venue visible in the footage, did not respond to requests for comment.
Users who viewed the video reacted with shock and outrage. Many described the bouncer’s behavior as excessive and unacceptable. “This bouncer is unhinged,” one user wrote. Some commenters used far stronger language, calling the incident attempted murder and saying the bouncer should be thrown in jail for what he did.
“The jerking of the shoulder and hips while having him in a choke hold I would say he was definitely trying to break the kids neck. Self defence ends at the point a person is subdued, even if the person had been aggressive, the prolonged nature of the hold alone should make this assault at the very least. If I was a lawyer and saw this footage I would definitely trial it for tempted murder,” one user wrote.
Another said, “When they go limp, you need to let go. If you hold on too long you’ll either kill them or inflict brain damage. There’s a reason refs in wrestling/BJJ matches make sure to break these up quickly: cutting off blood supply to the brain will f*ck someone up in short order.”
