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Security Guard Shot in Neck at La Marina After Fight, Police Say

By  Lindsay Armstrong and Trevor Kapp | July 14, 2014 8:30am 

 A 27-year-old man was shot in the neck outside La Marina July 13, 2014, police said.
A 27-year-old man was shot in the neck outside La Marina July 13, 2014, police said.
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INWOOD — A security guard was shot in the neck inside Inwood hot spot La Marina Sunday night after trying to break up a fight at the nightclubpolice said.

The 27-year-old guard was shot inside the waterfront lounge's outdoor deck area near Dyckman Street and the Hudson River about 11:45 p.m., the NYPD said.

The shooting happened in the aftermath of a fight that started inside the nightclub, police sources said. One of the particpants shot the security guard after he tried to break up the fracas, police added.

The victim was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital in stable condition, officials said.

No arrests had been made as of Monday morning, police said.

La Marina is supposed to close at 11 p.m. from Sunday through Wednesday, according to a 2009 agreement between the club's operators and the Parks Department, which owns the land where the venue is located. 

However, photos and video from inside the club showed patrons still drinking inside after police responded to the 11:45 p.m incident.

The Parks Department did not immediately respond to questions about La Marina's approved operating hours.  

Jeremy Daniels, who lives in a Riverside Drive apartment that has a view of Dyckman Street, witnessed the aftermath of the incident. 

"It was a horde of people running like they were running away from something," Daniels explained. "There had to be at least 300 people. It was dangerous, just people running and pushing."

The club's security procedures were not clear, though pat-downs and bag checks have been used upon entry.

An employee at the club's management office Monday said that he couldn't comment because it's an ongoing police investigation but noted that the victim was expected to make a full recovery.

La Marina has been a source of contention among locals since it opened in 2012. Residents have expressed concerns about the large crowds that flock to the club, creating traffic, causing incessant noise, and leaving trash and broken bottles in thier wake, according to locals.

Residents were originally told by the Parks Department that the space could host 500 people at a time. However, city licenses later showed La Marina's capacity to be 1,800 people.

That number can expand to 3,000 people for special events that have the Parks Department's approval.