Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
Investigative Operations Bureau
-Robbery/Homicide Unit
Patrol Operations Bureau

David Yost (Deceased)
DOB: 08/18/1980
Address:  11497 74^th Avenue,  Seminole

What:
Detectives assigned to the Robbery/Homicide Unit are conducting an investigation into the death of a man following an altercation at a St. Pete Beach gentlemen’s club.

When:
Investigators responded to the club at about 3:02 a.m. on Saturday, October 24, 2015.

Where:
The incident occurred at the Mermaids Gentlemen’s Club located at 7500 Blind Pass Road in St. Pete Beach.

Why/How:
According to investigators deputies responded to the Mermaids Gentlemen’s Club after receiving a 911 call of an injured person at the location who had reportedly been involved in a physical altercation with a staff member.

Deputies say the altercation began when a patron battered a staff member and a physical altercation between the two ensued. Deputies say the patron's friend, identified as 35-year-old David Yost, stepped in to assist the patron and also began to strike the staff member.

At this point, deputies say the number of people participating in the fight grew, as several other club employees jumped in to assist the staff member and to attempt to subdue Yost.

When deputies arrived on scene they discovered Yost to be on the ground breathing but unresponsive.

St. Pete Beach Fire Department arrived on scene.

Yost was transported to Palms of Pasadena Hospital where he was pronounced deceased at 3:53 a.m. on October 24, 2015.

The Medical Examiner will determine cause and manner of death. Results are pending at this time.

Detectives say the altercation between the patron and the staff member initially began due to the patron’s debt to the establishment.

At this time detectives are not naming the principals (patron and staff member) involved in the initial altercation.

The investigation continues.