On a Saturday night last year, Matthew Bourke walked into the Boatrowers Hotel in Stockton, initiating a chaotic scene that would not soon be forgotten. Armed with what appeared to be a gun, later revealed to be merely a gel blaster, Bourke brazenly went behind the counter, seeking to rob the establishment by raiding the cash register.
As the tension in the room escalated, a courageous patron decided to intervene. Armed with nothing but a barstool, he confronted Bourke in an attempt to thwart the robbery. Bourke, feeling the threat, retaliated by brandishing his fake gun and warning the patron of a potential shot before resorting to more violent means—stabbing the man in the shoulder.
Undeterred by his injury, the patron continued to resist, hurling another stool toward the would-be thief. In the ensuing chaos, Bourke attempted a hasty escape, clutching cash he had managed to snatch during the turmoil.
However, as he was making his exit, Bourke’s attention was drawn to a woman capturing the entire ordeal on her phone. Desperate to control the situation, he confronted her, demanding, “Give me that phone!” in a futile attempt to eliminate evidence of his crime.
However, he then confronted a woman who was filming the altercation.
“Give me that phone!” he was heard saying.
The woman fought back, causing Bourke to drop some of his cash, and he made a getaway when another patron approaches him with a barstool.
He was then chased down and tackled to the ground by several locals.
The patron who was stabbed did not suffer any long-term injuries, and Bourke was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for the robbery attempt.
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