In a shocking incident at a Portland strip club, a DJ was stabbed by one of the dancers in an attack captured on security cameras. Duncan Allen, who works at the Casa Diablo Vegan Strip Club, was assaulted on the night of December 8. The alleged assailant, dancer Peyton Lathan, 29, reportedly stabbed Allen from behind before fleeing the scene. She was later discovered hiding in nearby bushes, in possession of two knives, one of which was blood-stained.
Lathan was subsequently arrested and faces two felony assault charges and one felony charge for unlawful use of a weapon. The incident, which took place while Allen was preparing music for the evening, left him with a collapsed lung and fighting for his life. He described the attack as feeling like a “500-pound man punched me in the back.”
Allen was able to make his way to the club’s kitchen after the attack, where several employees, including other dancers, came to his aid. He credits these individuals with saving his life, stating that they were “instrumental to my survival.” Allen was rushed to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, where he underwent several surgeries. He is expected to make a full recovery, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help cover his medical expenses.
Following her arrest, Lathan reportedly told police she was “pleading insanity” and accused Allen of being a drug dealer, a claim he denies. Security footage from the club not only captured the attack but also showed Lathan in her dressing room moments before the incident. The club’s owner, Johnny Diablo Zukle, described Lathan as “always a little off, weird,” but stated she had never shown signs of violent behavior before.
However, Zukle and Allen’s friends believe the attack was premeditated. They point to evidence that Lathan had a knife concealed in each sleeve prior to the assault. Zukle expressed his belief that Lathan intended to kill someone that night, stating, “when she was in the dressing room for about 10 minutes, she seemed like she was possessed by a demon.”
Lathan is currently being held at the Multnomah County Detention Center without bail.