Bar manager dies after being punched by patron who was asked to leave, CA cops say
A manager died after being punched by a patron who was asked to leave the bar, California police say.
As a result, Leonard Hector Korpie, 26, of Venice was charged with murder on June 13, the Santa Monica Police Department said in a news release.
A fight started outside Jameson’s Pub in Santa Monica on Tuesday, June 11, just after midnight when the manager asked several patrons to leave, police said.
During the scuffle on the street, police said one of the patrons, later identified as Korpie, “punched the manager.”
“When the officers arrived on scene, the manager was not breathing,” police said.
Officers started CPR on the manager while awaiting members of the Santa Monica Fire Department, who took over caring for the manager, according to police.
Rescuers transported the man to a hospital, where he later died, police said. The manager’s identity has not been released.
“We are still in shock at the sudden loss of a person who was a respected and esteemed member of our restaurant’s family,” a spokesperson for Jameson’s Pub said in an emailed statement to McClatchy News. “He was well liked by both customers and staff and his passing has been deeply felt by all of us.”
The spokesperson said the bar is continuing to work with police during its investigation.
Initially, police said, all three patrons were arrested and booked into jail.
Following an investigation, police identified Korpie as the suspect accused of punching the manager.
He is being held on $2 million bail, according to police.
This story was originally published June 13, 2024 at 2:22 PM.
