Another downtown club went dark last week as SJPD Chief Rob Davis used the city’s urgency ordinance for the first time, suspending the entertainment permit of the SoFA district’s Club Wet for one month. Recent club closures unrelated to the urgency ordinance include Taste, The Vault Ultralounge and Johnny V’s. The urgency measure gives the chief broad discretion to close businesses viewed as imminent threats to public safety. The ordinance was passed by the city council two years ago following a shooting incident in the parking lot outside Club Ambassador.
A Mercury News report said the ordinance was invoked following a “multiple stabbing,” however club owners say it was a dancefloor fight with a small pen knife that was controlled quickly and left no serious wounds.
Fly stopped by Club Wet to view the security-camera video of the stabbing incident. According to the time stamp on the video recording, the entire incident lasts about three seconds. There is a blur of motion, a swarm of Wet’s security guards swoop in, and it’s over. People are dancing again.
Wet’s owner, Mike Hamod, says the alleged assailant, Nhan Chi, brandished a weapon the size of his pinkie. Hamod says his guards captured the man and turned him over to police, and that he was in immediate communication with Lt. Larry McGrady, the recently appointed head of the downtown unit. Hamod says he is appealing the chief’s decision and is proud of his security staff’s quick, professional response.
In 2003, Raul Curiel was stabbed to death on the dance floor of the now-defunct Zoe Nightclub, and the killer walked out the door undetected by club security and remains unapprehended more than five years later.
This is out of control. A threat to public safety? The only thing being killed is fun.
Nam Turk,
Tell that to the poor idiot who was stabbed!
#1: I guess we hang out in different crowds. Stabbings are not my idea of fun.
Club Wet has been the source of numerous fights and stabbings. There were 3 people stabbed in the recent incident. Funny how it is spun that the knife was small and only lasted 3 seconds. Talk to a parolee sometime. Many inmates are killed with homemade shanks much smaller than a pinkie and in under 3 seconds. I congratulate Chief Davis for what he did.
I heard from another DT club bartender that there were actually 3 stabbings @ Wet recently. Can’t verify. More punks DT SJ.
SO, what else is new?
One question…When a nightclub goes out of business in San Jose, why does the city approve a use permit for another one to open in the same location? It would seem to me that if the city was serious about ridding downtown of “mega nightclubs” that a use permit would not be issued…
#6—get back to us again after you are stabbed.
#8—the location is not the issue. It’s the operator and the clientele.
# 8, the reason another place can open at the same location is that “use permits” are tied to the building not the business.
the police and city could deny an entertainment permit; which they did for WET for many months (for some reason the city and police thought problems would happen at WET). But if the “Use permits” allow entertainment and alcohol; the business has the right to have both.
#7. The Fly reporting might be affected by the fact that WET spends a few grand a week on advertising in the Metro and thier other online publications. could be related?!
“#6—get back to us again after you are stabbed. “
Are you that simple? Was this place checking your ID and stabbing your hand at the door? Did the bartenders serve stab on the rocks? No, a patron brought in a knife and the nightclub staff reacted quickly and appropriately, yet they get punished. If said incident occurred in a yogurt shop, would that establishment have also been closed by Chief Podunk?
Nam Turk:
By chance are you a member of Silicon Valley De-Bug? Your jabs at the Chief seem to indicate you’re nursing a grudge against SJPD.
Or are you really Raj? Just checking.
I am a little suspect of the “Fly’s” reporting, such as the Vault closure. I walked by the Vault this last weekend and it was open for business. Also a security guard from another bar told me that WET security allowed the assailant to escape only to be apprehended by police a block away. And what about, “officers witnessed a club employee mopping up blood on the dance floor” as reported in the Mercury News.
I recollect a prior negative police article from the “Fly” about police presence at WET stating, ” This was all much ado about nothing. We repeat, nothing happened”. (10/29/08). Well for sure, something happened last week.
The fact is that several people were stabbed. To allow this behavior or explain it away is unacceptable. Responsible people (City Council, Chief of Police, ABC) must take appropriate action to protect the public. When I go out and bring a date to a nightclub I shouldn’t be worried about getting stabbed or my date slipping in a pool of blood.
“Fly”, try to be more objective and accurate.
Perhaps the space that is Club Wet should be transformed into a jazz club or piano bar. Why do we need “mega-clubs” downtown that cater to drunks and thugs anyway?
#11—as I wrote—once you get stabbed, write us again about how you feel.
14: “as I wrote—once you get stabbed, write us again about how you feel. “
I can tell you now that I’ll feel the same about being stabbed at a nightclub as I will in a kitchen. The reaction by the chief is based on the business, not the incident. Why are other places not held to these strict standards?
#13, I wouldn’t mind a more desirable business in its place, but I’m not still not in support of this type of power wielded by one person. The cops thankfully did their job when they picked up the assailant, but I’m not sure why they remained involved beyond that. Maybe if we just shut down the city, police work will be that much easier.
Great work, both of you. A stabbing occurs at a place, so the place must be dangerous to everyone near it! That kind of spin will make you dizzy.
Nam Turk:
I noticed you didn’t answer #12’s questions. Perhaps you forgot. I was wondering myself.
No, I’m not affiliated with De-Bug. Are you surprised that people outside of the spooky marxist/racist/terrorist blog over there can disagree with police actions from time to time? Stop trying to draw battle lines.
This is getting so old it is almost not worth commenting on anymore, so I’m going to keep it short. I always find it interesting that when the Police do their job to protect the safety and well being of SJ citizens they get bashed for it in the media and on this and shall we say, “another blog.”
Can someone please explain the logic people use in excusing the criminal behavior and placing the blame on the Police? And while you are at it, tell me why club owners get a way without being held 100% responsible for what goes on in their place of business because this is just BS to me.
Fly,
re: #10 remark.
I believe you should disclose to the readers of San Jose Inside and the Metro whether you or your employer has a business or personal relationship with Mike Hamod or WET.
#15 asks: “Why are other places not held to these strict standards?”
Because other businesses do not have the history of problems associated with downtown SJ night clubs. That’s why the city approved the ordinance giving the chief of police emergency powers to temporarily close clubs.
Thanks for asking.
After reading reviews for Club Wet on Yelp.com the problem will probably take care of itself when Club Wet goes out of business. These are reviews left by the actual patrons of Club Wet and some are pretty scathing and eye opening. In fairness, there are some postive comments too, but reading some of the negative comments reveal serious problems with the way the club operates and the safety of the patrons.
I think its not about what you do at a club, its about how you look and approach people. This was probably one way or another asian gang related.
im sorry for the person who got stabbed, but what about the incident that lead up to the stabbing?
lay off the owner and the club. doesnt matter who it is shit happens!!!!! ITS SAN JOSE CROWED THAT BRING THE LOW LIFES OUT so if ppl was to b*t** bout it then SAN JOSE SHOULD shut all the night clubs down!!!!! its the crowed of ignorant and low lifes, not the club owner, or the club or the security!!!
I own a hip hop club in Old Sacramento with a capacity of 300 I can go a month without a fight. Wet is club 53 closed in five years with in 100 miles. Owners and managers and staff HAVE to show there pro active to “bad actors” profit over public safty is #1. All clubs have fights if a clubs has fights all the time there is a problem thats inside or outside. Do guards have guard cards? The guard that brandished a stun gun should be fined. The probelm here is what started the fight in the first place? how could it of been stopped and how did it get out of control?
If you don’t like a business or a dance club in your neighborhood… start a fight of your own or have someone fight inside of the business for at least 3 seconds. That will assure you that the thousands of dollars invested into the business will go to waste… along with having the business shut down for 30 days on the 1st offense. Closed indefinitely on the 2nd offense.
HOW MANY TIME ARE THEY GOING TO LET THIS CLUB OPEN AND CLOSED HOW MANY TIMES IS THAT NOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN JUST SAYIN!
club wet is crackin