Fund Established to Help Stabbed Moonrunners Security Guard
On Friday April 25th at Reggie’s Music Joint in Chicago, security guard Joe Seleb, aka “Joe Kid” was brutally stabbed by a transient just outside the establishment while working security for the Moonrunners Festival. The stabbing happened at about 9:15 PM, and resulted in Seleb being rushed to Northwestern Hospital in Chicago where he underwent major surgery and required 40 staples to repair his abdomen. As can be seen from the pictures, the vertical slash did serious damage to the 26-year-old, and he is currently unable to work while he recovers from his injuries.
In lieu of regular income, and with medical expenses accumulating, a fund has been set up to help Joe Seleb through Go Fund Me. “An unfortunate turn of events that ended up with major surgery, 40 staples in his abdomen, and unable to work his labor intensive jobs. These jobs offer no medical insurance and Joe faces some serious medical bills. He has a young daughter to support as well,” reads the campaign description.
The 24-year-old transient that stabbed Joe Seleb also sustained major injuries in the incident and was also transported to Northwestern Hospital. According to Chicago Police, the transient was initially placed in custody pending charges, but was eventually released when Seleb decided to not press charges in the incident.
Saving Country Music has also reached out to friends of the transient to attempt to determine his condition, and hope to have a report on him in the coming days. According to eyewitness accounts, the transient sustained facial and other undisclosed injuries, and was listed in serious condition at Northwest Hospital after the incident. Because no formal charges were filed, the transient’s name has not been made available through Chicago Police.
May 6, 2014 @ 9:06 am
That’s one hell of a wound. I’ve always felt nervous for my friends who work security here in Minneapolis. Most have come home to their families after work with broken bones, black eyes, and busted lips at one time or another.
Some bouncers can be assholes, just like anyone in a position of authority, but the ones I know take their job very seriously and deal with life threatening altercations every time they punch the clock.
June 12, 2014 @ 6:07 pm
Yes, what this does not say, is that Joe went outside of the club and started messing with some panhandlers. Guess he messed with the wrong one and got shanked. I told him he was going to get stabbed on day. He shakes people down in the bathroom and rips off their drugs! I figured he’d get it one day over that. He has a bad attitude.
May 6, 2014 @ 9:43 am
Why would you NOT press charges when some dude nearly cut you in half?
Condolences to the guy, but I can’t help but think “That’s a really stupid tattoo.”
May 6, 2014 @ 9:44 am
Keep in mind, I do recall the piece about him being the aggressor, but man oh man.
May 6, 2014 @ 11:32 am
From speaking to the police on this matter, from the police perspective, Mr. Seleb had at least some fault, if not just as much fault, and potentially the majority of the fault for the incident, and either they convinced Mr. Seleb or Mr. Seleb saw that it was likely in his best interests to not press charges, as the eventual result may be criminal prosecution against himself.
I posted this article as a continuation of my coverage on the stabbing, and I’m not necessarily encouraging or discouraging anyone from giving or not giving to the fund. This is simply a followup for those concerned about the well-being of both parties. I am hoping to get some details on the transient in the coming days and I hope to post something about him as well.
May 6, 2014 @ 1:42 pm
I know that Joe was not the security guard who instigated the physical altercation (pouring/spraying the water)— yet he was the one who ended up sustaining a stab wound.
May 6, 2014 @ 1:32 pm
We are both from the Southside, and if you know about Chicago—there is a big pride issue on where you live. He’s a proud SOUTHSIDER like myself….
So if that’s all you really have to say when you look at this picture—-I think you need to re-evaluate your empathy sir.
June 12, 2014 @ 6:39 pm
Because Joe had no authority outside of the club, and was an aggressor himself. He lives right across the street from me. I told him months ago that he was going to get stabbed one day because of his attitude.
May 6, 2014 @ 11:11 am
i also recall reading that this guy was the aggressor… i guess he didnt get his balls cut off cause it takes some serious nads to ask for donations after getting gutted for beating on some dude.
May 6, 2014 @ 11:37 am
I agree. If this guy was truly the instigator and was beating the life out of a guy for being a nuisance, he got what he had coming. But, I’m sure it’s not as simple as that.
June 12, 2014 @ 6:42 pm
He was the instigator. He told me so himself. He thought it was fantastic that they beat the other kid so bad, his eye was hanging out of his head. The bouncers started it…
May 6, 2014 @ 1:34 pm
I set it up for him because he’s a really good friend of mine.
May 6, 2014 @ 11:32 am
There are too many holes in this story. I thought the security guard was called the aggressor by the police, but then it says above that the gutter train hopping guy was not charged because the security guard didn’t want to press charges?
Facts need to be checked if coverage of this incident continues.
May 6, 2014 @ 12:59 pm
Matt,
Unfortunately, this is not an episode of Law & Order where the crime is portrayed in the first 2 minutes of the episode, and by the end of the hour, the whole case has been tied up in a tidy little bow and the bad guys lose.
In all likelihood, both victims are also at fault to some degree, and so that’s why no charges were filed. I honestly don’t find it confusing whatsoever how the police could find through an investigation that the security guard was the “predominant aggressor” after initially thinking the one at fault was the transient that did the stabbing and then telling the security guard, “Look, if you want to press charges, that’s fine. But what that means is we’re going to have to take this investigation to a whole other level, and the results of that investigation may mean you may face charges yourself,” and the security guard saying, “No, don’t worry about it.”
I am not saying that is what happened. That is not my reporting on the matter. This is just a simple deduction taking into consideration the facts as we know them that could plausibly resolve in the conclusion the police came to. I apologize this case is not cut and dry, black and white, bad guy vs. good guy as some seem to want to make it, but that doesn’t mean that somehow the facts are wrong, or my reporting is inadequate. I have talked to the police subsequently, and they have no more information because not charges were filed. At this point, it is a dead issue, and my focus has shifted to the injured parties.
May 6, 2014 @ 1:56 pm
Shame on me for thinking a critic could take some criticism.
It seems like your focus has been placing blame on the organizers of the festival, the staff, and attendees.
Moonrunners made a statement on the matter and have set up a fund to help their friend who was stabbed. This shows that they care at lease about one party involved. Also, after the statement was made and the fund was set up you were still calling them out for doing nothing.
You’re also making a lot of accusations about the genre as a whole. I see dozens upon dozens of shows/live acts around the country every year. I also play dozens of shows every year, and I don’t think their is a problem with the way artists, fans, and promoters act as a community. Every band is going to have followers that aren’t exactly model citizens and bad things happen when crowds are mixed with alcohol and live music. I don’t see any evidence that this community of artists, fans, and promoters are apathetic to this phenomenon. In fact, I notice the opposite when I go see a show at Weber’s Deck, catch Shovels and Rope at 7th Street, Goddamn Gallows at First Ave, Tom V at the 331 club, Wayne Hancock at Lee’s Liquor Lounge, Scott Biram at LaGrange in Dallas, and the list could go on for days.
I’m waiting on the piece you’ve been alluding to about the degradation of “underground, independent, roots, or whatever else you wanna call it” music and its fans, because I really don’t know what you’re talking about. And, knowing your style, at least you will have a well compiled list of sites as to why you feel this way. I’ve read your other articles (the ones you’ve plugged in earlier comments about the stabbing) and I just don’t see things the way you do. Maybe as a critic you see a darker side, but I don’t think the fans see it the same way.
A lot of the artists and fans of this movement are people who grew up on metal music. Every metal show I’ve ever attended in my life (and, that’s a shit load) has been the most comfortable, non-threatening experience that can be had in live music. These fans care for each other. When someone falls in the pit they’re snatched back to their feet before they realize they’re on the ground. And, I witness the same comradery at country and roots shows.
Why must people push the limits when they know the consequences will be bad. Common sense tells you that it is not a good idea to fuck with security. I don’t care if they are being assholes, are unreasonable, or are somehow inconveniencing you. Shit gets real when you fuck with security, and that’s just how life works. I wouldn’t have stabbed the guy cause I would have played by his rules and got the fuck outta there since I wasn’t an attendee anyway. Don’t poke the fucking bear then bitch about your rights being violated.
May 6, 2014 @ 3:46 pm
“Shame on me for thinking a critic could take some criticism.”
Matt, basically what you’re doing here is criticizing me because of what you’re characterizing as contradictions in what the police said. At this point, after the endless threads on the other articles on this subject, and exhaustive attempts on my part to explain the situation to you, the only thing you are criticizing at this point is your own intelligence. I’m sorry, but there is never going to be a cut-and-dry conclusion that is the one your hoping for based on your perspective, and just because you can’t have that served to you on a platter doesn’t mean my “journalism” sucks.
“It seems like your focus has been placing blame on the organizers of the festival, the staff, and attendees.”
I have no idea what you’re talking about. Did you deduce this because I ran an article about the Go Fund Me for the injured security guard? What does anything that you have brought up here have to do with this article, or even where we are with this subject?
At no point have I attempted to blame the organizers, festival, the staff, and attendees for the incident. This has been a stance foisted upon me by others so then they can attack me for being bias. I did make it a point of emphasis to clarify that the transients had been drawn to the area because of Moonrunners, and that one of them had a ticket, because the information from Reggie’s and Moonrunners on this specific point was incorrect. But clarifying that information should in no way be construed as me directly blaming anyone for the incident except the specific people involved in the altercation.
Why are we even fighting this fight still? I’ve moved on, Moonrunners has moved on, and virtually everyone else has moved on to showing concern for the injured except for Matt, who wants to fight these same redundant battles over and over until he gets a police report hand delivered to him by Saving Country Music that says the security guard is completely innocent and a homeless bum that had never heard of Moonrunners and just happened to be walking through the area inflicted a random act of unprovoked violence against him. Well guess what Matt, tough titty. It ain’t gonna happen. So go listen to some music man, or do something else. It’s over. And any more comments of this nature on this specific article will be deleted.
I don’t mean to demean you, but this is become wholly unproductive.
As for the article on the state of underground country, I will post it in due course, and then we can have a discussion about it there. But looking at the picture of Mr. Seleb from above, I feel it is a dishonor to him and the spirit of this post to engage in these tireless and fruitless back and forths here.
May 6, 2014 @ 3:59 pm
I honestly don’t mean to demean you Matt. You’ve been a good commenter and contributor to this site. But there is a time and place, and this is not it.
May 6, 2014 @ 8:20 pm
You’re probably right about it being the wrong time and place. I think I need to put myself in a time out.
May 6, 2014 @ 11:42 am
I’m thinking that most of that opening is surgical. Even with a relatively small puncture into the peritoneum there is a lot of rinsing and checking for any perforations. An infection in there will kill you in a hurry. In fact I’m wondering if the hole on his side is where he was stabbed. He should have signed up under the ACA!
May 6, 2014 @ 1:38 pm
The vertical incision is from surgery yes. He was stabbed on his side, small hole above the “d” in his tattoo. He had internal bleeding and had to be operated on to survive. Hence the 40 staples.
May 6, 2014 @ 1:48 pm
Well I hope he gets better.
May 7, 2014 @ 5:01 am
Yeah, I thought everyone was insured now–thanks to Obamacare?
I’m not feeling this situation may actually deserve a comment like, ‘Even assholes have bills to pay’, but . . . even assholes have bills to pay. Unless you are a faux-poor train-hopping tramp, of course.
May 7, 2014 @ 9:56 am
However, assuming that this altercation was related to his job as a bouncer, I would think the bar would be responsible for his lost wages and medical expenses, even if he doesn’t have insurance.
I’m not an expert on employment law, but my understanding is that even if he is negligent, then they are still responsible. The only way he’d be on the hook would be if this was some personal vendetta and he thought it had absolutely nothing to do with his responsibilities as a bouncer. I don’t know what happened, but it seems that no one is suggesting that’s the case.
Certainly, the owners of the bar seem pretty emphatic that he was in the right, in which case they definitely should be paying for it, and I would hope they have insurance that would cover it.
Not saying that people shouldn’t contribute, but…
May 7, 2014 @ 10:03 am
I just want to emphasize I’m not taking sides here. Like I said, I have no clue what happened, and I generally trust Bouncers more than homeless crust punks.
However, especially given that the Bar owners have been here defending his actions, it would be incredibly hypocritical (and possibly illegal) for them not to pay for his expenses.
If they are paying the expenses, it’s dishonest to raise money on the grounds that its coming out Seleb’s pockets.
May 7, 2014 @ 10:16 am
Since he was down the street, I bet they leave him hanging. But you are right about the owners’ apparent stance on the issue. We’ll see.
May 7, 2014 @ 2:13 pm
As I said, I am not an expert on employment law and it varies state to state ( given that Illinois is pretty liberal and union friendly, I’d bet that it has pretty strict laws)
I cannot imagine the fact that it occurred outside the premises would create any immunity for the club. Generally, it is considered on the job even if you are acting negligently. If the Seleb saw some crust punks across the street and said “hey I hate crust punks I’m going to go beat them up” and got stabbed, he probably wouldn’t be covered.
However, from all accounts, it seems like there was some problem with the transients involving the club.
Even if they weren’t actually causing a problem and Seleb responded improperly, he would probably be eligible as long as he thought what he was doing was part of his job. The whole purpose of the insurance programs is to make sure workers get some minimal compensation without the need of of litigating who was at fault.
And again, the fact that Glibb has been emphatic that these transients were causing serious problems at the show and that Seleb acted properly makes this moot.
May 8, 2014 @ 8:40 pm
Like you said law varies from state to state. It may come down to whether or not he was on the books as an employee. I’ve bounced at a few different places and the ones where we weren’t on the books were quick to distance themselves from anything negative that happened while the ones that I was on the books at usually would stand by my side if things got rough. Has there been anything said by the venue about helping him out? I may have missed it somewhere in the articles.
May 7, 2014 @ 7:34 pm
Well, I for one think this was a well written article. I didn’t sense any bias or an agenda here at all.
June 12, 2014 @ 5:59 pm
I would like to inform you of a copyright violation in a fraudulent fundraising ad. The photo being used in this fundraiser, is my photo and is being used without my permission. This is in violation of US copyright law. But there are two problems with this: 1. All of Joe’s medical bills are being payed by the insurance company, so there is no need to raise funds for his medical bills, as this ad states.
2. I never gave permission for use of my photo. It is a violation of US copyright law to just pull someone’s photo off the internet to use for a fund raises.
I am requesting that this image be removed from this fundraising campaign.
Thanks, Chuck Jines
chuckjines67@gmail.com
http://www.chuckjines.com
http://www.gofundme.com/joekidfundraiser
June 12, 2014 @ 6:39 pm
Chuck, I have attributed you for the photo. If you want me to remove it, I will do so. I personally had nothing to do with the fundraising ad, I was simply reporting what happened as a follow up to the stabbing itself.
June 12, 2014 @ 6:49 pm
I know you don’t have anything to do with it. Seeing that this fundraiser
is fraud, I’m not comfortable with my work being associated with the ad. If
you could remove the photo, I’d be much happier. Joe and I no longer speak
over this issue. I told him he was going to get stabbed one day if he
didn’t change his attitude. But, that aside, no permission was given for
the photo. Thanks for your quick response.
June 12, 2014 @ 7:36 pm
Fair enough. The photo has been removed.