Two Stabbed At Banks Show

One of two stabbing victims during a Lloyd Banks show in Buffalo, N.Y., was fighting for his life at press time and city officials are considering tighter security rules in the aftermath. Both were stabbed early March 5, but apparently in unrelated incidents.

Now, the family of critically injured Clayton Webster wants to know why the Town Ballroom show wasn’t stopped after the first stabbing. Others want stricter regulations on event security, claiming club violence is out of hand in Buffalo.

Four people were shot to death and four wounded seven months ago outside Buffalo’s City Grill. Common Council member the Rev. Darius Pridgen has already started meeting with local event promoters to discuss safety enhancement measures, according to the Buffalo News.

“I don’t believe it will be welcomed by some [promoters] because it will drive up their budgets,” Pridgen told the paper. “But if you have to raise ticket prices by a couple of dollars, you do what you have to do.”

Others aren’t convinced a lack of security precautions contributed to the stabbings.

Town Ballroom owner Artie Kwitchoff told WIVB-TV that 36 security guards were on duty at the 1,100-capacity club and the show was allowed to continue after the first stabbing. Kwitchoff could not be reached by Pollstar at press time.

Witnesses at the show include Webster’s cousin, who accused Banks of egging on an already rowdy crowd. Banks was “cursing, making fun of our town, just getting everybody riled up to the point where it’s chaos,” Jarmar Norton told WIVB.

Buffalo lawmakers have reportedly asked club owners and promoters to meet with them March 24 to discuss security, and police were asked to report on the number of downtown Buffalo incidents and how they were handled.