Following a fatal brawl at a club in Pétange on Saturday morning that led to the death of a guest and arrest of a security guard, the family of the victim and club manager have spoken out.
"It was not an accident. My brother-in-law is a good man who was always ready to have fun. He was just dancing and tore his shirt. Then the security guard hit him in the face. All of his work colleagues witnessed it on the spot," the brother-in-law of the victim said to RTL on Sunday night.
The manager of the club explains that it was all "an accident", but that they have been receiving threats on social media.
What happened?
According to the General Prosecutor's Office, an altercation took place between a security staff member and the person visiting the club. The visitor reportedly fell to the ground, hitting his head, sustaining severe injuries. Despite receiving immediate medical attention, the 35-year-old visitor succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
The 57-year-old security staff member involved in the incident was subsequently arrested and an investigating judge was assigned to the case on Saturday afternoon. He is currently facing charges of involuntary manslaughter or, alternatively, willful assault and battery resulting death.
The suspect is in pre-trial detention at the Sanem penitentiary.
As with any ongoing investigation or legal proceeding, the police emphasise that individuals are considered innocent until proven guilty.
Authorities are still seeking information from any individuals who were present during the incident and can provide a statement or possess video recordings or photos from the evening.
Witnesses are asked to reach out to the Criminal Investigation Department, specifically the Offences against the Person Section, via email at: spj.ip-info@police.etat.lu
"We received threats on social media"
Interviewed by RTL the manager at the nightclub, said: "The man was visibly intoxicated and disturbing other people at the club. The security guard tried to calm him down, but it went wrong. He pushed the security guard, who did the same to defend himself. The man fell and passed away."
For now, the nightclub remains open. "We have received threats on social media, but nothing more," emphasised the manager.
The establishment offered their condolences to the victim's family and friends in a message on their Facebook page.
"It was not an accident" the victim’s family reacts
The victim was visiting the Pétange nightclub with coworkers to continue their Christmas celebrations, which began a little earlier at another location, the brother-in-law said.
"Even if he was drunk, as the manager mentioned in the interview, they should have simply escorted him out and not hit him right away".
The victim's family feel like they are "in a movie." They claim to have no information about the whereabouts of the body of their loved one. "All we know is that he is dead, that's all."
Originally from Longuyon
According to newspaper Le Républicain Lorrain, the victim is originally from Longuyon (Meurthe-et-Moselle). "The man, who was celebrating the end of the year with colleagues and friends, reportedly had issues with a person from the nightclub's security. He allegedly suffered a bad fall during an altercation with this employee," continues the newspaper, specifying that "he died shortly afterward, in the ambulance that came to his aid."
