Bar owner killed in Saint-Gaudens after brawl at closing time
José Capela, manager of Café 50, died on Monday from injuries sustained the previous night. Several attackers reportedly beat the man in his sixties before fleeing.
Death following violence at closing time
According to Actu17, José Capela, a well-known figure in Saint-Gaudens in Haute-Garonne, died on Monday afternoon at Purpan University Hospital in Toulouse. The manager of Café 50 had been violently beaten as his establishment closed during the night of Saturday to Sunday. Found unconscious on a public road, the man in his sixties was initially transported to Saint-Gaudens hospital before an emergency evacuation.
The incident occurred between 2 and 3 in the morning at place Napoléon. Several intoxicated customers were outside the bar and tensions were rising. According to witnesses cited by La Dépêche, José Capela apparently went outside to calm spirits. He was then intercepted by a group of individuals around place Jean-Jaurès.
The attackers beat the victim very violently before abandoning him on the ground. At the same time, Café 50 employees contacted the police: individuals were attempting to force their way into the establishment while they were locked inside. Upon the arrival of emergency services, José Capela presented a swollen face with numerous blows to the head.
The Saint-Gaudens public prosecutor's office opened an inquiry into voluntary violence resulting in death without intent to kill. The investigation was handed to the local police station and the judicial police in Toulouse. The initial witness statements collected diverge: some describe a direct assault, others an intervention by the manager to calm the situation. Investigators are also examining the possibility that he fell after being pushed.
Christophe Amunzateguy, prosecutor of the Republic for Saint-Gaudens, indicated that the exact circumstances remained unclear. Surveillance camera footage was seized and will be analysed to reconstruct events and identify the perpetrators. An autopsy is to be carried out during the week to determine the precise causes of death.
José Capela had been operating three establishments in Saint-Gaudens for eight years, including a restaurant. He regularly organised weekend evening events. A white march in his memory is to be organised on Friday 30 October in the late afternoon in the town centre, according to France 3.
Source: Actu17