A former bouncer accused of knocking out a bar-goer in downtown Grand Forks pleaded not guilty Wednesday to an aggravated-assault charge.
An officer reported seeing Allan Kirkeby punch Christopher Schill in the face just after 2 a.m. May 2, causing him to fall backward and hit his head on the ground outside Gilly's Bar and Grill at 9 N. Third St.
Kirkeby, 25, told police that Schill had pushed him and grabbed his collar. He told them Schill put his thumbs to his throat but did not choke him.
Defense attorney Blake Hankey said witnesses have told him that Kirkeby was being restrained before Schill came at Kirkeby; Kirkeby then broke free to punch Schill.
"Our claim is that it's self-defense," Hankey said.
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Paramedics took Schill to Altru Hospital where he received seven staples in the back of his head and a stitch to his upper lip. Kirkeby, who was not injured, was taken to Grand Forks County jail.
Kirkeby's status as a Gilly's employee came under review after the incident. Bar manager Sarah Horak said Wednesday that Kirkeby is no longer a bouncer at Gilly's but continues to work there as a disc jockey.
"We did what we thought what we needed to do," she said. "He's a great employee, and we'd hate to lose him."
Asked if the outcome of the case will affect Kirkeby's employment, she said, "We'll just have to wait and see, I guess."
Kirkeby has worked at Gilly's since July and is a student at Northland Community and Technical College in East Grand Forks. He's lived in Grand Forks for five years. His Facebook page says his hometown is Grafton, N.D.
He's out of jail on a $2,000 bond. He has a pretrial conference set for Aug. 12.
Aggravated assault carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Ingersoll reports on crime and courts. Reach him at (701) 780-1269; (800) 477-6572, ext. 269; or send e-mail to aingersoll@gfherald.com .
