A manager of a popular bar in Santa Monica was killed after getting punched once by a patron he had kicked out of the establishment to avoid a fight, police say.
The Santa Monica Police Department said officers responded to reports of a fight at Jameson’s Pub on Monday evening just after midnight.
When they arrived, they found a man unconscious and not breathing and immediately performed CPR. The Santa Monica Fire Department also tried to perform life-saving measures on the bar manager, but he was transported to a hospital, where he was later declared dead.
Police learned that the manager had been punched by a man who had been kicked out of the pub along with other patrons after they scuffled outside of the bar. Investigators said they believed that the man hit his head when he went down.
Lt. Erika Aklufi confirmed that only one punch was thrown and there was no violence leading up to the assault.
Initially, police arrested three people involved in the melee, but through witness statements and surveillance video they were able to identify 26-year-old Leonard Hector Korpie of Venice as the alleged attacker.
Korpie was charged with homicide and given a bail of $2 million.
Police did not release the names of the other two patrons involved and did not indicate whether they would face any charges.
A spokesperson for the pub emailed a statement about the incident to McClatchy News.
“We are still in shock at the sudden loss of a person who was a respected and esteemed member of our restaurant’s family,” the statement read. “He was well liked by both customers and staff and his passing has been deeply felt by all of us.”
Police are asking for anyone with information about the incident to contact Detective Hector Tavera of the Santa Monica Police Department.
Residents of southern California have reported worsening crime despite the skyrocketing cost of living in the region. In a recent alarming incident, witnesses at a Santa Monica beach said a homeless man grabbed a jogging woman by her ponytail and was dragging her toward a public bathroom before they intervened.
The median home price in Santa Monica is about $1.7 million, according to Reddit.
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