WINONA, Minn. – When Matthew Ryan Nguyen saw a police officer unholster a stun gun, he momentarily gave up. This ended a police disturbance call to the Third Street bar district near Sippi’s Pub and Grub. Or so it seemed. But after Nguyen was cuffered and pushedinto a police car to go to jail, police said, he spit at the transport officer and resumed the earlier obscenities and racist insults that had brought officers to Sippi’s in the first place. This was about 10:45 p.m. Nguyen was charged with disorderly conduct, violent threats, violent assault, and spitting at an officer. The original call to Sippi’s was after a patron was punched in the face and threatened with death and yelled at as “nigger” and “sand nigger.” Poli e gave this further accont: When they attempted to arrest Nguhen, he went into a fight posture. When one officer drew his stun gun, Nguyen backed off. The taser wasn’t fired.
Nguyen. His third arrest for assault in two months. Becoming familiar figure to police.
Sippi’s Pub and Grub. On a sunny day. At 176 East Third Street. Image: Steve Lunde