http://niagara-gazette.com/local/x925651667/Rapids-Theatre-event-turns-ugly

Rapids Theatre event turns ugly
Shooting, stabbings and fights reported after about 1,000 people spill out of event onto Main Street early Sunday morning

The Niagara Gazette
Mon Jul 04, 2011, 01:12 AM EDT

NIAGARA FALLS — A shooting, possibly two stabbings, a number of gang attacks and numerous fights erupted inside and outside the Rapids Theater on Main Street after a late-night party Sunday morning.

The venue was playing host to “Fireworks & Flashing Lights: The Official Red White and Blue Affair.” The promoter of the event, according to a FaceBook page, was Get Right Entertainment Rob Gilz Promotions and R.A.W. Entertainment. Tickets for the event, listed as running from 10 p.m. Saturday till 4 a.m. Sunday, were $20.

When all was said and done, six police agencies responded to Main Street where an estimated 1,000-1,200 people had spilled out of the club after a number of fights erupted inside.

One Buffalo man was shot in the parking lot behind the former Slipko’s, Falls police Superintendent John Chella said Sunday night. He said the bullet entered and exited a nonvital area of the man’s body and his injuries were believed to be non-life threatening.

At least five men — all of them from Buffalo — were arrested on various charges, including disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration, inciting a riot and unlawful assembly.

Police were initially called out to the theater about 2:20 a.m. for a report of shooting victim inside the bar. The first officer arriving said just as he pulled up in front of the theater about 100 people came piling out the front doors. The officer said several of the patrons appeared agitated and were yelling at each other.

The officer requested additional units and spoke with theater staff who said there hadn’t been a shooting but there was a small fight in which someone’s foot had been crushed. That person had been taken to a local hospital by friends.

Officers then began dispersing the 100 or so people milling about on Main Street but as they were doing that a large fight broke out inside the theater and hundreds of people spilled out onto Main Street, many aided by security who police said were trying to clear the theater.

This “second wave” of patrons, as one officer described it, was also agitated with many of them shouting and arguing with each other as they left the venue. Several fights broke out as well.

One officer, while trying to break up a group of people fighting, was knocked to the ground by another group of people fighting nearby. The officer wasn’t injured and helped break up several small skirmishes on Main Street, between Cleveland and Michigan avenues.

The person in charge at the Rapids told officers he believed 800 to 900 people were in the bar when the fight broke out.

A bartender suffered injuries when he was punched during the melee. He refused to file a police report.

Officers said as more people poured out of the theater, they began congregating on Main Street and officers estimated anywhere from 1,000 to 1,200 people were on Main Street and the surrounding side streets.

Several officers from other agencies responded and helped get the crowd dispersed, which pleased Chella.

“We had another situation where we had to activate our mutual aid,” he said, explaining “I want to compliment them on their response.”

Chella said he was still waiting for a response Sunday night from Rapids owner John Hutchins or the event’s promoters.

“We’re hoping to get information from them as to who was involved,” he said.

Attempts to reach Hutchins Sunday night were unsuccessful.

The event comes a couple weeks after a similar party for former Falls basketball star Paul Harris was canceled by the theater. While Hutchins said a faulty sound system was to blame, Harris told the Gazette he was told police had concerns about possible gang members promoting the event.

MUTUAL AID

In addition to all available Niagara Falls police units, several other agencies responded to Main Street early Sunday morning, including:

• Nine Niagara County Sheriff’s deputies

• Five State Police officers

• Five State Park Police officers

• Three Town of Lewiston officers

• One Town of Niagara officer