Two shot in dance-floor brawl

Published: Sunday, May 07, 2006 A dance-floor brawl on Friday erupted into gunfire -- leaving one man clinging to life in hospital, another suffering from a gunshot wound and pandemonium in the Vancouver venue.

"People were trampled to get out of the way. It was chaos," said promoter Luovens Remy, the 28-year-old behind the show at Richard's on Richards.

The night's bill featured headliner Lord Finesse (Robert Hall Jr.) from New York, the Chillin Villain Empire from Los Angeles and local rappers Fourth World, who were celebrating the release of their new CD.

Remy was backstage when he looked out and saw a commotion.

"I just saw a stampede of people. I heard the shots. Then I just saw this guy on the ground and his buddy standing over him screaming," Remy said.

From Remy's vantage point, it appeared the man on the ground wearing a Fourth World T-shirt had been shot in the face. Remy counted three shots fired.

The violence began at about 12:30 a.m.

The 30-year-old man found inside remains in critical condition. A 24-year-old located in the alley behind the venue suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his lower body. Another man was treated for fight-related injuries.

Remy said Fourth World was on stage and Lord Finesse was preparing for his set when someone threw a bottle at the local rappers.

At least one member of the trio left the stage and joined in the fight, he said.

The Province has learned that rapper Big Rowd, aka Rob Henley, from Fourth World is one of the two men who suffered less serious injuries.

Promotional items for the band describe Big Rowd as the most aggressive rapper in Fourth World.

Const. Howard Chow said police would not comment on a possible suspect description or if they already have someone in custody. Twenty witnesses, including Remy and Lord Finesse, were taken to the police station for questioning.

Chow expected the injured 24-year-old would be questioned in hospital.

Richard's on Richards, which is on land slated for redevelopment and is independently managed for shows, was closed during the weekend as police pored over the crime scene. Representatives of the club's management company did not return Province calls.

The shooting is the second incident of gun violence in Vancouver night spots this month. On May 1, a man was shot four times and beaten with chairs at the Uranus Lounge strip bar.