In the early hours of last Friday morning, longtime Ottobar staffer Tom Malenski was fatally stabbed outside of the bar following a concert. Off of work that night, Malenski was offering a hand to security staff that needed to escort a patron out. After turning around to return inside the building, he and another victim were brutally attacked by another person inside that had followed the party out.
Malenski died at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center. According to the Ottobar, the other employee, who suffered a cut to his face, will pull through. Suspect Nicholas Heath, 32, was charged on Sunday with first- and second-degree murder and other offenses, processed at Central Booking on Sunday, and denied bail on Monday.
As family, friends, and Ottobar employees mourn the loss of Malenski, the Remington club has made plans to host a benefit for his family. There has also been a donation page set up to help with funeral costs.
Here is an excerpt of the statement the Ottobar released on Facebook:
Like any small business, we really are a very tight family, and we’ve been absolutely crushed by recent events. If there’s anything greater than our love and respect for each other, it’s our appreciation of the friends, patrons, performers, and supporters of Ottobar. Without you, there’s no us. We cannot thank the Baltimore City Homicide Unit enough for the hard work and quick results . . . We consider it an honor and privilege to serve the Baltimore nightlife and music community for over 17 years. We are coping, and remain open for business, doing what we know Tom would’ve wanted—to get back to work. No shows will be cancelled, no events are changing . . . To Tom Malenski and his family, there isn’t much more that we can say that the city of Baltimore, and beyond, hasn’t already shared. You were loved more than you ever knew and will NEVER be forgotten. You have very sad families in town that can only find comfort in the fact that you were here for this short time.