Aug. 23, 2009: Remembering Eric 'Taz' Pagan

Today marks the two-year anniversary of the murder of Eric "Taz" Pagan outside Forbidden City on Avenue A. He was 42. (You can read our coverage here.)



Police eventually arrested 29-year-old ex-con Louis Rodriguez, who reportedly ditched the gun in the East River after the shooting. As Michael Wilson at the Times reported on July 26, Justice Richard D. Carruthers of State Supreme Court in Manhattan sentenced Rodriguez to 80 years in prison.

Pagan's sister recalled the moment that she had to tell her mother about the shooting. "And she just broke down. She said, 'Who could have done this to my son?' She became very angry. Why did this happen to her son? She started questioning her faith."

From Pagan's memorial outside Forbidden City. (Forbidden City is now called Fat Buddha.)

Aug. 23, 2009: Remembering Eric "Taz" Pagan

In a comment about the Second Avenue shooting early this morning... a reader noted that Aug. 23 marks the one-year anniversary of the murder of Eric "Taz" Pagan out Forbidden City on Avenue A.

All coverage.

Chico's back; ditto for the Rat Pack

As you may know, Chico is back in town to do a few more murals in the neighborhood. Aside from his anti-violence mural on Houston and Avenue B, he created this tribute to Eric "Taz" Pagan on 13th Street and Avenue A.



He also did this Rat pack mural on the gate of Summit, the new bar that replaced Baraza on Avenue C near Ninth Street.


Saturday:



Sunday:



For further reading:
A well-preserved Chico mural (BoweryBoogie)

Chico, ‘The Messenger,’ spreads message of peace back on L.E.S. (The Villager)

Looking at "Fear in Alphabet City"

Matt Harvey's cover story this week in NYPress -- titled "Fear in Alphabet City" -- provides a more detailed account about the murder of Eric "Taz" Pagan on Avenue A this past Aug. 23. For instance, according to the article, Louis Rodriguez, the man police have charged with the murder, had been tossed out of Forbidden City by Pagan, a former bouncer there, earlier in the evening. (Someone from Rodriguez's East Harlem neighborhood describes him as "a cold-blooded fucking idiot.")



As the article points out, the shooting shouldn't have been a surprise: "Bullets are more common in the neighborhood than most people want to believe."

Craig Lopez, one of the first people who came upon the murder scene, has lived in the East Village since the early 1990s.

Back then the moniker for the 45-square-block area south of 14th Street and east of First Avenue sent shivers down middle-class spines, conjuring up images of drug zombies and muggers. During the last decade, the term fell into disuse as wealthy new arrivals arrived, along with college bars and bistros. When the term finally ceased to register any fear, the rich claimed the Alphabets for themselves. In its 2007 Best 'Hoods issue, Time Out awarded Alphabet City the dubious honor of being the "#1 Best Hood."

Here's more from Lopez:

Despite the turnaround, Lopez says he preferred the lonely streets and coke bodegas to the loud "frat boy" parties that have invaded his neighborhood. "On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, it's really bad," he says, before breaking into an almost-apologetic smile. "I prefer the old way. I felt safer."

Lopez's crack about frat boys, however, masks darker fears. "Was I concerned that someone got killed?" he asks rhetorically, then shrugs. "Yeah. But I can’t say I was really surprised. There are shootings around here all the time."

Other highlights from the article include an interview with Bob Arihood, who has chronicled the East Village longer than anyone.

Arihood paints a perfect storm of social, economic and political factors, which combine to insure that successive waves of incoming NYU students, and upper-middle class tenants, remain ignorant of how bad things are in the 'hood — thereby continuing to splurge on tuition and "million-dollar condos."

Previously.

Benefit Thursday night for Eric "Taz" Pagan's family

The folks at Destination passed along this information...

Tomorrow night, the 3rd Annual Lesser Known Characters Circle Up fundraiser ... "Come on by to find new music, win raffle prizes, and most important let these young adults that they still have tons of love and support."

Featuring:
Seth Weinstein
Josh Weinstein of decibel.
Ali Eskandarian
Jodie Manross
Harold Barnard

Thursday, Sept. 17
7:30 pm - 10:30 pm
Mehanata
113 Ludlow St. (between Rivington and Delancey)

Info. via Facebook.

Previously.

Benefit yesterday for the children of Eric "Taz" Pagan

Last night, nine bars in the neighborhood donated half of their register to establish a college fund for the two children of slain Forbidden City bouncer Eric "Taz" Pagan.

I stopped by a few of the participating bars early in the evening to check on the turnout. And have a few drinks.

Drop Off Service was, quite frankly, packed. Friday night packed, perhaps. (Not that I've ever been there on a Friday night. Heard someone else say that it was like a Friday night to the bartender. And there were two bartenders working.) Next door, Destination was pleasantly full. Across the street, Forbidden City was crowded. Several people stopped in just to make a donation to the college fund.



The next block to the south, Common Ground was also full. At 9 p.m., a quick check of Superdive found four people inside. Habibi Lounge wasn't open when I first walked by...then, around 9, I saw two people at the bar.

One aside: a couple was moving into an apartment on Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street. Despite several open spaces along the east side of Avenue A, they decided to park directly in front of Forbidden City. Which is fine, but I was curious if they knew what had happened...or what was happening this evening...



In any event, I have no idea what the final tally will be from the bars. But from what I saw, a lot of people came out to provide support...

Previously on EV Grieve:
EV bars come together to create college fund for Eric "Taz" Pagan's children

Reminder: Drinking for a good cause today

Sophie's and Mona's are also taking part today. And I believe Destination... A commenter on Friday's post asked why Destination wasn't included (given the bar's proximity to Forbidden City and friendship with Eric "Taz" Pagan")...to which Destination's Mason Reese later responded, "Truthfully, no one called or mentioned this to me at all, since hearing about this, I've reached out and made the offer."

UPDATE: Destination is taking part. Confirmation in the comments.

Previously on EV Grieve:
EV bars come together to create college fund for Eric "Taz" Pagan's children

Avenue A, 9:46 a.m., Aug. 29

"Avenue A will never be the same"

NY1 filed the following report this afternoon after the funeral of Eric "Taz" Pagan:

Church volunteer Mike Rodriguez, the cook at Forbidden City, said he heard the shot that killed his friend.

"Sometimes we played cards, or we drank, just to relax," said Mike Rodriguez. "Just a split second, that's it. Life is too short."

Those who came to the funeral at Immaculate Conception Church on 14th Street, where Pagan was baptized as an infant, remembered the late bouncer as a warm-hearted man.

"I come from Florida to pay my respects for my brother, a great guy," said friend German Fernandez.

"He's such a nice guy. We always had a good laugh to come in with," said bar customer Michael Cruz. "I remember him fixing the ceiling once, just completely taking it apart more than he needed to do. It was the funniest thing to watch him do. He had some much energy coming in and out of that place."

"Taz was always the protector. I used to work at the bar next door to where he used to work and he was always there if we needed him," said bartender Laurie Beck. "We used to hang out for years, I knew him since I was about 17 years old. It's been about 10 years and there was always so much love. Like a big brother to me, you know? Anytime anybody ever needed him, Taz was there. He's such a wonderful guy and he's so missed. Avenue A will never be the same. You walk down the block and expect to see him."

Perhaps the biggest endorsement of how loved Pagan was came from the victim's own parish priest.

"He always maintained optimism in his life," said the Reverend Joy Mampilly. "Also, he tried to instill a warm feeling into the lives of people who came around him. You don't have to be a friend to know him well."

Previously on EV Grieve:
EV bars come together to create college fund for Eric "Taz" Pagan's children

EV bars come together to create college fund for Eric "Taz" Pagan's children

I just received the following notice:

East Village bars Drop Off Service, Planet Rose, Forbidden City, Common Ground, Habibi Lounge, and Superdive will donate 50% of their register on Monday, Aug. 31 (all day and night) to set up a college fund for the children of murdered bouncer Eric “Taz” Pagan.

I'm told that bar owners in the area are devastated by what happened early last Sunday morning.

Previously.

Memorial for Eric "Taz" Pagan grows outside Forbidden City

And down the street at Common Ground...




Previously.

Report: Lawyer representing alleged killer says his client is innocent

From the Daily News:

A lawyer representing an ex-con charged with murdering an East Village bouncer claimed Tuesday an off-duty cop witnessed the shooting and told police the alleged killer was innocent.

"An off-duty cop was present," said Paul Brenner, a lawyer for Louis Rodriguez, 29. "He said Mr. Rodriguez was definitely not involved."

Brenner's comments came after Rodriguez was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on murder charges in the slaying of Eric (Taz) Pagan outside Forbidden City on Avenue A early Sunday.

"My client wasn't there," Brenner said, adding that he asked prosecutors about the cop -- whose name he did not know -- but got "no response."

The prosecution said they stood behind the charges.

Memorial service information for Eric "Taz" Pagan

One of Pagan's former co-workers at Forbidden City provided the following information:

VIEWING

Redden's Funeral Home:
325 W 14th St. N.Y. 10014
212-242-1456

Days:
Wed 4pm -9pm
Thurs 4pm -9pm

SERVICE

Immaculate Church 14th St. Btwn 1st Ave. + Ave A.
Friday MASS
UPDATE: The service begins at 9 a.m.

Previously.

Arrest made in shooting death of Eric "Taz" Pagan

Not a lot of information so far on the arrest. According to reports, police arrested Louis Rodriguez on charges of murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon. (1010 WINS)

UPDATE: The Times has more information. The Times reports that the man charged in the shootings is Louis Rodriguez, 29, of 452 East 117th St. He was arrested in Gramercy Sunday night.

UPDATE (Aug. 25, 8:51 p.m.):
The Daily News posted a story a few hours ago. According to the paper:

Police said the quarrel started when Rodriguez rolled up on the club in a white van and accidentally struck bar patron Salvador Moran, 31, as he stood outside with Pagan and Robert Calbo, 30.

Moran and Rodriguez started arguing until Rodriguez ended the back-and-forth with gunfire, hitting Moran in the neck.

Calbo was shot in the hand trying to push the gun away, police sources said.

That's when Pagan jumped in and tried break up the fight.

He was fatally shot in the face, cops said.

Rodriguez, who served nearly five years in state prison on a Bronx assault charge, was fingered as the gunman by witnesses

.