Near Riot Outside Belo Nightclub

On Wednesday, May 9, between midnight and 1:00 a.m., a large melee was broken up by police in the Gaslamp Quarter.

At and around the entrances to Belo nightclub at Fourth Avenue and E Street, a crowd of several hundred partygoers who had been barred from entering a concert by rapper 2 Chainz jammed the sidewalks and spilled into the streets. Numerous angry fans on the street stated they had spent $20 to purchase tickets but had been denied entrance when they arrived at the club for the concert, which was apparently oversold.

After fights reportedly erupted inside the club before 2 Chainz took the stage, altercations arose between people leaving the building and those on the sidewalk and street. Approximately two dozen San Diego and Harbor Police cruisers, including around three dozen police officers, responded to the scene, deployed in formation, and eventually cleared the crowd, marching people south on Fourth and east on E Street.

SDPD Sgt. John Harberth confirmed that one person had been injured when struck in the head, possibly with a bottle, and after treatment at the scene, was transported to the hospital by ambulance.