Police say security guards at Paterson nightclub ended up brawling among themselves
PATERSON NJ March 21 2019 — A dispute among security guards at a popular Paterson nightclub resulted in a brawl on Sunday during which one of the combatants struck another in the back of the head with a flashlight, police said.
The incident happened at about 2:52 a.m. at the Bonfire Mofongo House and Lounge on Market Street, near Route 80, when one of the security guards confronted a patron who allegedly was smoking hookah in an area of the club where that was banned, said Sgt. Anthony Lay.
Other members of the security staff intervened and became embroiled in an argument over whose responsibility it was to enforce the rules in that section of the club, police said. During the dispute, one of the security guards hit one of the other bouncers in the head with a flashlight, police said.
As of Tuesday morning, authorities had not filed criminal charges against any of the security guards, police said. But the investigation was still going on and charges may still be filed, officials said. The injured security guard, a 31-year-old resident of Woodland Park, suffered a laceration that needed stitches, police said.
Once a popular hangout for local politicians, the Bonfire evolved into a nightclub catering to young people about five years ago. The club quickly became the target of neighborhood complaints, causing the City Council to require the owners to hire extra security staff as one of the conditions for the renewal of the business’s entertainment license.
