A bouncer at a Karangahape Road bar king hits a customer for no apparent reason last Saturday night
A man punched outside an Auckland city bar on Sunday morning says he doesn't remember the king-hit that knocked him to the ground.
Tene Tulimaiau, 33, told the Herald the first time he saw what happened was when he watched a video taken by a member of the public, who uploaded the footage to Facebook.
"I felt sick to my stomach because it clearly showed that I was complying with him and apologising," Tulimaiau said.
Tene Tulimaiau says he does not remember the king-hit. Photo / via Facebook
In the video, which has been shared more than 2000 times, Tulimaiau can be seen approaching a man, who the member of the public alleged was a bouncer. The man punches Tulimaiau in the face, causing him to drop to the ground.
The father of four said he had been taking a cousin visiting from Tonga for a night out in Auckland when things took a sour turn around 2am.
He remembers joking with a bouncer at a bar on Karangahape Rd and although he accepted he had "a bit too much to drink" he does not think he had provoked an attack.
"I was standing there talking with cousins and members from a church that I had attended, just having a laugh," he recalled.
"There was nothing really going on and the bouncer approached. Me and the bouncer were joking around and it got a bit out of hand.
An image from the Facebook post of the altercation outside a K Rd bar. Photo / via Facebook
"[The bouncer] put his hand around me to escort me out really nicely. I went on my merry way. I knew I'd had a bit too much to drink and it was time to go."
Tulimaiau says he was told by friends the bouncer put him in a headlock on his way out, a version of events backed up by the woman who shot the video, but he doesn't remember anything more about the incident.
"I just remember halfway down the stairs and then blacking out. I don't remember standing outside with him, I don't remember talking to him."
The video shocked Tulimaiau, who said he felt lucky to be alive.
He says he has two lumps on his head, one from where the punch landed and another from where he hit the ground.
"Apart from that there was no major damage," he said.
"It's more to do with the law - you know the king-punch thing. Looking at the video, I could have died."
Tulimaiau said he forgave the man who punched him and had sympathy for the man's family, who were feeling terrible about what had happened.
"No matter what wrong he did everybody makes mistakes. I forgive him. Just thank God that I'm alive."
The man and his wife had contacted Tulimaiau to apologise, which he had accepted, although he was not yet ready to talk to the man.
