A bizarre and shocking incident took place at Casa Diablo Vegan Strip Club in Portland, Oregon, on the night of December 8, when a DJ was suddenly stabbed by one of the dancers. The attack, which left the DJ fighting for his life, was all caught on the club’s security cameras.
Duncan Allen, who works as a DJ at the club, said he was completely caught off-guard. “I was on my computer getting some songs ready,” Allen recalled. “The next thing I know, it felt like a 500-pound man punched me in the back as hard as humanly possible. I turned around expecting to see some huge guy ready to fight me, and instead, it was her—standing there holding a knife.”
The dancer, later identified as 29-year-old Peyton Lathan, allegedly stabbed Allen from behind before running out of the club. Police later found her hiding in some bushes nearby with two knives, one of which still had blood on it. She was arrested and now faces two felony assault charges and one for unlawful use of a weapon.
The attack was so serious that it left Allen with a collapsed lung. He said paramedics later told him he was just minutes away from drowning in his own blood. After being stabbed, Allen managed to get to the club’s kitchen, where other employees, including several dancers, quickly stepped in to help him.
“They were instrumental to my survival,” Allen said in an interview. “I was fading in and out because of the blood loss and lack of oxygen. Everything was blurry, everything was turning white.”
Allen was rushed to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, where he underwent multiple surgeries. Thankfully, doctors say he’s expected to make a full recovery. To help cover his medical bills, a GoFundMe page has been set up.
An affidavit from the investigation revealed that Lathan told police she was “pleading insanity” during the attack. She also accused Allen of being a drug dealer—something he firmly denied.
Johnny Diablo Zukle, the club’s owner, told local media that while Lathan had always seemed a little “off” and strange, she’d never shown any signs of being violent. However, security footage suggests that the attack may have been planned. Before the stabbing, cameras showed Lathan in her dressing room for about 10 minutes, appearing unusually agitated.
Zukle suspects her actions were intentional. “I think she intended to kill someone, and Duncan was just the one it happened to be. When I think about it, she looked almost possessed,” Zukle said.
Lathan remains in custody at the Multnomah County Detention Center without bail as the investigation continues.
For Allen, the nightmare is finally turning into recovery, thanks to the quick actions of his coworkers and first responders. “I’m just grateful to be alive,” he said.