St. Petersburg police are looking for a man seen in surveillance video from May 7 throwing two punches at University of Florida student Zachary Taylor.
It happened at Del Mar Gastro Lounge on Central Avenue.
The first punch knocks Taylor to the ground.
Then as Taylor gets up, the suspect, wearing a T-shirt and backwards baseball cap, sends him down again with a fist to the face.
Del Mar manager Chris Hamilton was working that night and said the argument may have started because the suspect tried to cut the bathroom line.
“All the commotion. We ran back there and saw the guy on the ground, and realized it seemed pretty serious at the time,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton said bar security immediately escorted the suspect out. Taylor eventually left in an ambulance with bleeding on the brain. He is still recovering back home in Tallahassee with a skull fracture.
Surveillance video from before the incident shows the suspect in the bar with another man.
Police are hoping someone will recognize him.
“I don’t know if this guy was looking for a fight or what, but you add alcohol to any situation and obviously things can get out of hand,” Hamilton said.
There was actually more violence that night after police showed up. They ended up tasing a Hillsborough County firefighter.
Our I-Team showed you exclusive cellphone video of police tasing that firefighter, Clinton Walker, who acknowledged to us he’s also a member of the Outlaws motorcycle club.
Walker was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. But he told our I-Team he didn’t hit anyone.
Police said a witness identified him as the one who punched Taylor.
Police said he became combative when they tried to detain him.
They also arrested another off-duty firefighter for resisting.
Meanwhile, the bar manager said that night of violence is not the norm.
“We are a fun-loving place. We don’t like things like that to happen. It’s not in our nature here. We are usually a pretty low key place,” Hamilton said.
Anyone with information on the man seen throwing the punches should call St. Petersburg police at 727-893-7550 or text SPPD and your tip to TIP411.
