A Chapel Hill resident faces multiple felony charges following an attack on a local music venue and bar employee on Tuesday night.
49-year-old Troy Thompson is charged with assault to inflict bodily injury with a lethal cutting instrument after an incident at Local 506 on West Franklin Street in Chapel Hill. Additionally, Thompson faces a felony drug charge and a misdemeanor charge for simple assault.
According to ownership for Local 506, Thompson attacked an employee of the bar while he was being removed for hassling a bartender. As he was escorted out, Thompson used a pocketknife to stab the employee in the leg before getting in a vehicle and driving away. Other Local 506 staff contacted the Chapel Hill Police Department, whose officers later arrested Thompson.
While the employee was hospitalized on Tuesday night, they did not sustain a serious injury from the incident and are expected to recover.
Part-owner of Local 506 Sammy Martin said Local 506 maintains a “zero tolerance” protocol for customers who harass staff or other patrons. He also said there will be no changes in operations at the music venue following Tuesday’s incident.
“We’re not going to close tonight, we’re going to keep doing what we do there,” Martin told Chapelboro. “It’s a safe space and we intend to keep it that way.”
The local magistrate gave Thompson a $7,500 secured bond for his charges. He is set to make his first appearance in court on the charges Wednesday afternoon.
Editor’s Note: Sammy Martin and his other business ventures are advertisers with 97.9 The Hill/Chapelboro.
Photo via Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau.
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