Police: Offer to buy shots for women led to fatal stabbing

Ryan Gill, 33, died after stabbing; two brothers from the Republic of Georgia face charges

By Brett Clarkson, Sun Sentinel
1:42 p.m. EDT, April 1, 2013

Two brothers arrested after a fatal stabbing at The Backyard Bar in Boynton Beach turned violent when their offer to buy several women a round of shots was declined, police said.

Vakhtang Magradze, 27, and Alexandre Magradze, 29, took the rejection as a sign of disrespect at the Backyard Bar early Saturday and started arguing with the women, according to Boynton Beach police arrest reports.

Some other patrons stepped in to break up the 1 a.m. argument and that's when Vakhtang Magradze stabbed Ryan Gill, 33, several times, police said.

Gill died at Bethesda Hospital. The bar's manager and another staffer were also stabbed in the melee but survived.

The Magradze brothers, both citizens of the Republic of Georgia, were taken into custody by Boynton Beach police officers at the scene.

Citing witnesses, arrest reports provided this sequence of events:

The Magradze brothers wanted to buy a woman and her female friend a round of shots. The women declined.

The brothers "took it as a sign of disrespect" and started arguing. Numerous people got involved in a bid to stop the escalating dispute.

One of the women heard a 'click' sound. Gill had been stabbed in the neck below the ear.

Elsewhere on the premises, an officer doing an extra patrol saw several bar staffers running to break up a fight.

The officer arrived to see Vakhtang Magradze on top of Ryan Gill and stabbing him "several times on the neck area with a knife," the arrest report said. Gill was on the floor with Magradze on top of him, police said.

The officer told Magradze to drop the knife and stop fighting, but Magradze wouldn't stop. The officer tried to Taser Magradze. It didn't work because of Magradze's heavy jacket.

The officer then stunned Magradze again, who swung around "with the intent to stab" the officer. The officer kicked the knife out of Magradze's hand.

A bar manager tried to break up the fight. He was stabbed in the back several times by Magradze. Another staffer who tried to help was stabbed in the nose area.

Meanwhile, Alexandre Magradze was "actively fighting patrons," the arrest report said.

Vakhtang Magradze was charged with second-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault, among other charges.

Alexandre Magradze was charged with disorderly conduct and was released.


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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-b ... 6061.story

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Man fatally stabbed at Boynton Beach bar
March 30, 2013
Erika Pesantes, Sun Sentinel

(....)
James Hall, the owner of The Backyard, said Gill was a regular patron who was known to be a "gentle giant."

He said it appeared Gill may not have been directly involved in the altercation at first and seemed to be trying to protect another patron.

"We think that we built a really great clientele. It's the kind of clientele you dream of for what this place was," Hall said. "This unfortunate, tragic incident kind of sets back what we're trying to accomplish here. Our hearts and prayers go to the family of the victim."

More at link:
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-0 ... cer-patron

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Ryan Gill, stabbed to death early on March 30, 2013, at The Backyard in Boynton Beach

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Police: Brothers in jail after fatal stabbing at Boynton Beach bar

Updated: 11:03 a.m. Saturday, March 30, 2013 | Posted: 7:57 a.m. Saturday, March 30, 2013
By Sonja Isger and Leslie Gray Streeter
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

BOYNTON BEACH — Ryan Gill was a good guy to have around, said Jennifer Rose Zavala, his lifelong friend and former finacée.

The 33-year-old lifelong city resident was “a big guy and ex-bouncer (who) would take it upon himself to stop a fight, always there when you needed him,” Zavala said. “He would do anything for anyone, and if he loved you, you knew it when he looked at you, and everyone around him would feel it.”

That ended early Saturday. Gill was stabbed to death at The Backyard Boynton Beach, a restaurant and bar on Northeast Fourth Street.
(...)
Zavala last saw him about a week ago, when he took the dog they still share to the vet.
“The biggest thing about him,” she said, “was his heart.”

Staff writer Julius Whigham II contributed to this story.

More at link:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/ ... t-bo/nW7rB

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Ryan Gill was a friend of my coworker/friend...

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