A DJ at a strip club in Portland, Oregon, is recovering in the hospital after he was allegedly stabbed multiple times by an exotic dancer at his workplace.
On Sunday, December 8, Duncan Allen was working his usual shift at Casa Diablo Vegan Strip Club when, according to surveillance footage, a dancer named Peyton Lathan suddenly attacked him while he was in the DJ booth. The footage shows Allen retreating to the kitchen, where other employees rushed to help him.
Describing the terrifying experience, Allen told a media outlet, “It felt like a 500-pound man punched me in the back, like, four times.” He also shared that he was losing so much blood and oxygen that he kept fading in and out of consciousness. “Everything around me was getting blurry and white,” he recalled.
Police arrived at the scene to find Allen with two stab wounds on his back and another under his left armpit. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors performed multiple surgeries to remove fluid from his lung. As of Saturday, December 14, Allen is still in the hospital but is expected to recover fully. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help him during his recovery.
Meanwhile, Lathan was arrested the same night after police found her hiding in some bushes outside the club. Nearby, officers discovered two small knives. During her arrest, Lathan allegedly claimed she planned to plead insanity. She also accused Allen of being a drug dealer, a claim he strongly denies. “We’ve always had a friendly working relationship,” Allen said, adding that Lathan had always been kind to him in the past.
Lathan now faces multiple charges, including attempted murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and unlawful use of a weapon. She was arraigned in court on Tuesday, December 17, and is being held without bail.
Johnny Diablo Žūklė, the owner of Casa Diablo Vegan Strip Club, shared that Lathan had worked there for about 10 years. “She was always a little off, but she never showed signs of being violent,” he said. He believes she had a severe mental health crisis. “It seemed like she was possessed by a demon when she was in the dressing room for about 10 minutes before the attack.”
The club has released a statement on its website and Instagram, urging people to support Allen through his GoFundMe. The statement reads, “As some of you may know, our very loved DJ Duncan was assaulted last Sunday, December 9. A fundraiser has been put together to allow Duncan a chance to heal from his wounds peacefully alongside his dog best friend. If anyone wants to help by donating to Duncan, it will surely help him during his recovery time.”
As Allen continues his journey to recovery, his friends, colleagues, and the community are rallying behind him, hoping to help him move past this shocking incident.
