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Penticton  

Jaw shattered on dance floor

The family of a born-and-raised Penticton man that was brutally assaulted in a nightclub last week says he has a long road to recovery.

Police announced Tuesday an investigation into an assault on Cody MacKay, 30, who was found beaten unconscious on the dance floor of the Mule Nightclub early Sunday morning.

“His jaw is broken in three different places and he has had 26 stitches,” said Valerie Fehling, MacKay’s godmother. “Two of his back teeth were completely knocked out and he has severe concussions — he was unconscious for over five hours.”

Fehling has created a Go Fund Me page to support MacKay’s recovery.

“He just found out, in addition to everything else, when the time comes he has to pay for all of his own plastic surgery to reconstruct his face,” she said.

MacKay has worked at the Structurlam South Okanagan plant for years and was attending his staff Christmas party Saturday night, before he and his friends decided to head to the club.

“We certainly do not condone that kind of behaviour,” said Mule Nightclub GM Miriam Sklar, referring to the assault. “I didn’t actually see it, I saw it on video.”

“I would prefer not to comment on it, just because I would rather leave it in the police’s hands.”

Video surveillance of the incident has been shared with Penticton RCMP.

“Once we know who actually did it, that person will have a ban on them,” Sklar said. “Then they can’t cause problems in our club or other clubs.”

“We scan people at the door, so we know who they are when they come in.”

MacKay has undergone more than nine hours of surgery and will likely not be heading back to work anytime soon, added Fehling.

“He doesn’t know the person [who attacked him],” Fehling said. “From what I understand there was a little bit of ‘beaking’ off before from the assailant.”

“From what witnesses are saying, it started with a sucker punch.”

After MacKay’s unconscious body was removed from the dance floor, he was taken to Penticton hospital and eventually Kelowna General.

“He is a very modest guy who works hard,” Fehling said. “He is the kind of guy who has his life together and has never caused trouble here.”

The incident occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 10.

Any witnesses of the assault are asked to contact Penticton RCMP at 250-492-4300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477



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