WASHINGTON — D.C. Councilman and former Mayor Vincent Gray may press charges after he said a bouncer shoved him out of nightclub Saturday night during a city-sponsored arts event.
According to Gray’s staff, the 75-year-old council member asked to speak to a manager at the D.C. Eagle, after the bouncer would not accept Gray’s council identification card, which doesn’t specify date of birth.
Spokesperson T.N. Tate said Gray was at the club to attend the Art All Night arts festival, being held at businesses across the city.
D.C. Eagle is located within Ward 7, which Gray has represented on the council since 2017.
A police report of the incident said Gray reported the bouncer “assaulted him by pushing him out of the door” of the club, causing Gray to fall to the ground.
Tate said Gray suffered bruises in the fall.
DC Councilmember @VinceGrayWard7 shows wounds on his hands after he says he was assaulted by an employee at @DC_Eagle Gray says he wants employee charged by prosecutors and fired by the club. pic.twitter.com/YvUxvUmERL
— Mark Segraves (@SegravesNBC4) October 1, 2018
The club issued a statement to NBC Washington: “Councilmember Gray did attempt to enter the D.C. Eagle last night, but refused to provide proper identification to our door staff after being asked for it several times, as required by D.C. law. He asked to see an owner and was told he would have to wait outside.”
Tate said “filing charges is under consideration.”
In another statement released Monday night, D.C. Eagle said it “deeply regret that this situation escalated in the manner that it did” and apologized to Gray. The nightclub said the bouncer that night had only lived in the area for four months and was “not familiar with Councilmember Gray’s service to the District.”
“We will retrain all of our staff to ensure that a focus on customer service and de-escalation is adhered to,” D.C. Eagle said. “At this time, we are conducting an internal review and are cooperating with the relevant District agencies and offices.”
