OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (MN) — A violent 3-on-1 fight at a concert venue in Oklahoma over a spilled drink ended with a man beaten to death, local news outlets reported.
Tommy Lee Benson, 47, was at a late-night R&B concert with his wife on March 22 when, according to police, he accidentally knocked over someone’s drink.
In response, police say Jarmey Dewayne Jones, Mario Dewayne Glover and Kaleb Rashod Harris were caught on the venue’s security cameras assaulting Benson, KWTV reported. Benson held his hands up and tried to back away as the three men circled him, according to court documents as reported by KWTV.
According to the outlet, the fight started when Glover punched Benson, who punched back and tried to run, police said. Jones hit him over the head with a chair, knocking him unconscious. Harris punched him in the face over and over until a witness intervened, according to police. The drink belonged to one of the three accused men’s girlfriends.
KFOR reported that police arrived at 12:30 a.m. to find a large crowd and Benson beaten and unconscious. He was rushed to a hospital, where he died.
“He was a beloved husband, father, and papa, who was taken from us in a senseless act of violence,” his family said, according to KFOR.
Terry Brayton, who lives near the event center, told the outlet the venue is frequently “packed” and concerts often run late into the night, but he’s never or heard of any violence at the venue.
A flyer for the concert online advertised free alcohol with every VIP section purchase. According to the flyer, the scheduled performers were Jacquees and Vedo.
Oklahoma City Free Press reported that all three men were booked into county jail on complaint of second degree murder. Jones, 39 and Glover, 42 were booked on March 24 and Harris, 36, was booked the following day.
Each man’s bond was set at $10 million, according to the outlet.
By RHIANNON SAEGERT/McClatchy News
Rhiannon Saegert is a McClatchy Real-Time reporter covering the midwest from Southern Nevada. She’s an alumna of The University of North Texas, and has written for local newspapers like Waco Tribune-Herald and the Las Vegas Sun as well as Eater and other online publications.
