American tourist dies in Zakynthos brawl
Police on the Ionian island of Zakynthos Friday were questioning two people, a doorman and a barman, in connection with the fatal beating of a 22-year-old Texan tourist in the island’s notorious party resort of Laganas.
Apart from the pair who are facing murder charges – a 32-year-old British national of Serbian extraction and a 34-year-old Greek – police on Friday continued to question more suspects and witnesses.
According to video footage filmed at the bar where the brawl broke out, about 10 people participated in beating Bakari Henderson, who died of massive head injuries.
A police source on the island told Kathimerini that the fight appeared to have broken out following a petty dispute over someone setting their drink down on a table occupied by a different group. On leaving the bar, a group of Serbian patrons allegedly attacked Henderson, threw him onto the road and started punching and kicking him.
The 22-year-old was rushed to a local hospital with severe head injuries but was pronounced dead on arrival. It remained unclear Friday whether any of the assailants used knives in the attack but an autopsy was expected to determine cause of death.
In comments to Kathimerini, Zakynthos Mayor Pavlos Kolokotsas said that just a few hours before the tragedy, municipal officials had met with local police officers to discuss how to avert such incidents in the resort, which has a reputation for alcohol-fueled brawls and antics.
In 2011, a 19-year-old British tourist was killed by two Greek taxi drivers.
