Photo by rjs 1322

Photo by rjs 1322

Update: The Reef could reopen after the city and the bar’s owners reached an tentative agreement.

Original post

The Reef—the popular Adams Morgan weekend spot with a roof that’s not good for jumping off of—was closed on Saturday after an apparent stabbing took place in the club early that morning.

After the D.C. Fire Fighters Association Local 36 tweeted this out, PoPville reported that the location was indeed The Reef.

Originally, it looked like The Reef’s closure was only temporary, but now it seems as though it’ll remained closed indefinitely, with rumors spreading that a security guard may have stabbed a patron during Saturday’s altercation.

So what exactly happened there Saturday night? DCist reached out to the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration who sent out us the case reports to clear things up a bit. According to the summary, around 2:00 a.m. two brothers tried to go upstairs to The Reef’s roof deck, but were denied entry by one of the bar’s security guards. Apparently, this led to a verbal dispute that soon became heated. The security guard “went after and initiated a physical confrontation, resulting in … fighting on the second level stairwell landing.” When one brother came to the aid of the other, the security guard then “stabbed him about the neck, shoulder, left arm, and left side,” according to the report.

But of course, there’s two sides to every story. The ABRA report also details the security guard’s version, in which he claims that one of the brothers—intoxicated—was coming down the stairs from the third floor, stumbled, and fell onto the security guard on the second level landing, wherein “two or three other individuals started to attack him while he was on the floor,” presumably because they thought he was beating up their friend. He then called to the other security guards for help.

The security guard’s report also states that he “had no idea how either victim received stab wounds or lacerations” and that “he portrayed himself to be the victim in this incident.” However, after talking with witnesses who saw the security guard brandish the knife and stab the two brothers, police determined that the security guard committed the assault. Weirdly, at the time the report was filed, the knife could not be found.

ABRA has suspended The Reef’s liquor license until the outcome of a Summary Suspension Hearing, which will take place at 1 p.m. today, has been reached. Request for comment from The Reef’s management hasn’t been returned.

Filed Under: 18th street, Adams Morgan, crime, stabbing, The reef,