Police investigate Tabu stabbing

SAUGUS – Detectives are investigating a stabbing that occurred outside the Tabu nightclub over the weekend, police confirmed Wednesday.Jerry Perez, 23, of Lowell, was stabbed in the left arm during a brawl outside the club shortly after 1:30 a.m. Sunday, police said.According to a police report, Detective Fred Forni was working a paid security detail at the Route 1 club just after closing time when he noticed a physical confrontation in the parking lot.Several other officers and club personnel broke up the fight and managed to stop two vehicles trying to flee the area, police said.Perez was discovered inside a 1994 Honda Civic suffering a minor stab wound to the left bicep, according to police.Police confiscated a screwdriver found on the ground and say the tool may have been used to attack Perez.Perez received medical attention in the parking lot.Police aren’t completely sure how the attack started, but say it began after a dispute between two groups of men.On Tuesday, members of the Board of Selectmen were talking about safety at another Saugus nightclub when Police Lt. Steve Sweezey mentioned that an incident occurred last weekend at Tabu, but didn’t go into details.Owners of Tabu have had a fragile relationship with town officials over the years, trying to work with neighbors who’ve complained of noise and police who were concerned about safety.A 29-year-old Nashua, N.H. man was shot outside the club Nov. 4, 2007 and another man was stabbed outside Tabu on April 19, 2007.After the November shooting, Tabu managers defended their establishment saying the victim never entered the club before he was shot.