Phila. police official in Shore fracas

Philadelphia Police Lt. Ray Evers, the media spokesman and public face of his department, maintained Friday that he was assaulted by a bartender and several bouncers in an Avalon, N.J., bar this month, a fight that he said started for no reason and left him with a black eye.

Documents released Friday by the Avalon police, however, state that Evers was the "instigator" and that he was ejected from the Princeton bar early June 17 by security guards who wanted to prevent a fight brewing between him and another patron.

The police reports also allege that when Evers later learned that police had not found proof of an aggravated assault after viewing bar surveillance footage, he became angry.

"Evers stated that he was 'pissed' and 'wanted people arrested,' " states a report prepared Tuesday by Avalon Detective Eric Heisman, who said he told Evers that police would prepare simple assault charges. "Evers began to tell me that he had 19 years on the job and asked me where the 'brotherhood' was for being a cop. He indicated that Philadelphia police officers 'take care' of one another."

Evers, 43, on Friday denied making any attempts to influence the investigation. He declined to comment on most details surrounding the off-duty incident.

"This is a personal matter," said Evers, who has a home in Avalon. "I made a police report because I was assaulted, like anyone should do."

Evers, who told police he was punched and kicked numerous times without provocation, went to Cape Regional Medical Center in Cape May Court House after the fight. He sent photos of his injuries to the Avalon department, along with the hospital's medical report. Those records were not released by Avalon officials.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey voiced support Friday for Evers. He said he had not spoken with Avalon officials.

Evers "was the victim of an assault, and if someone commits an assault, an arrest should be made," Ramsey said.

As for the allegation that Evers attempted to use his position to influence the investigation, Ramsey said, "I don't know if that's true or not. . . . Right now, it's a bunch of he-said, she-said stuff."

In the blurry surveillance footage taken from cameras inside the bar, a group of people, including Evers, can be seen standing and talking near the bar shortly after 2 a.m. A bartender can be seen signaling to security, then leaping over the bar and grabbing a man, presumably Evers. Several bouncers are seen descending on the group and dragging Evers away in a headlock. Cameras outside the bar then captured images of Evers as he fell to the ground, along with a bouncer.

Once outside, Evers took his shirt off, approached a police officer and told him about the fight, according to the police report. His left eye was bruised and he was "visibly upset," telling Sgt. John Roscoe that a bartender had assaulted him.

Bartender Austin Tracy documented the fight in an incident report he wrote for the Princeton's records and that was included with police reports. According to Tracy, around 2 a.m. he heard a man near the bar tell another man, "I will f- punch you in the face." Tracy, 24, alerted the bouncers and then jumped over the bar to separate the two. In Tracy's report, he said Evers wrestled to get free and fought the security guards when they arrived.

Though Evers identified Tracy as his assailant, bouncer Aaron Stanton later told police that he had punched Evers while struggling to get him out of the bar, according to records. Another bar patron, a 40-year-old man who did not know Evers, told police he saw Tracy tackle a man, then watched as six bouncers swarmed Evers. He, too, told police he did not see Tracy strike Evers.

Neither Evers nor the bar has pressed charges. In his report, Heisman said he told Evers simple assault charges had been prepared and were waiting at the court clerk's office for Evers to sign. Evers disputed that Friday, saying he had not been informed.

Avalon police said they had sent their findings to the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office.