'he Was A Peacemaker,' Say Relatives Of Security Guard Who Died Breaking Up Fight At Hubbard Inn

Several weeks ago Bryan Christopher Watson asked his sister what her day off from work was. He and his seven siblings weren't always getting along too well but he wanted to make peace.

Though Watson, a security guard who died Monday while breaking up a fight at Hubbard Inn, passed away before the dreams he had for reuniting them came true, his siblings haven't given up and will meet on Watson's 36th birthday, April 2.

"He was a peacemaker, and so for him to leave here, while trying to make peace. It's very heartbreaking," his younger sister, Aleshya Brister, told the Sun-Times Wednesday.

Watson, a hard-working, "God-fearing" Chicago Bears fan and the oldest in his family, had three jobs: a driver for his Matteson church, an assistant manager at a Matteson dollar store and a security guard at Hubbard Inn, where he'd been since August, Brister said.

Watson, who attended J Sterling Morton West High School, where he played football, had no children but he loved his nieces and nephews, his sister said.

He also loved church and Christ, Brister said. "It's hard, because we feel that it's unfair that he left here on those terms."

As of Wednesday afternoon, the investigation into Watson's death was ongoing and the cause and manner of his death was not clear, according to Chicago police and autopsy results from the medical examiner's office.

Meanwhile, police said a person of interest, a 32-year-old man, was released from custody with no charges. Police initially said Watson, of the Garfield Park neighborhood, had been shoved down stairs at the River North restaurant, which has been temporarily closed down since the early Monday incident.

It was about 1:20 a.m. when a fight erupted involving a group of people. When Watson went to intervene, police said he allegedly had been pushed down the stairs. Watson was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short while later, police said.

A spokesperson for the River North restaurant and nightclub told the Chicago Sun-Times the closure is temporary and they plan to open for business this weekend.

In an earlier statement emailed to the Chicago Sun-Times, a Hubbard Inn spokesperson said they were shattered by the death of Watson and would give staffers time to process what happened.

"The Hubbard Inn team is devastated by last night's tragic incident and our hearts are with the family who lost their loved one," a spokesperson said. "We can't comment on the specifics as the work of CPD is ongoing, but we are closing our doors to the public for the next couple of days while giving staff time to grieve and provide access to mental health support to those who may need it."

Hubbard Inn, the River North nightclub and restaurant, is owned by Carmen Rossi, a lobbyist, lawyer and city contractor who owns many bars and restaurants through his hospitality group, 8 hospitality.

Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot returned campaign contributions from Rossi’s businesses after the Chicago Sun-Times reported she took the money despite a ban on mayors taking money from city lobbyists. Shortly after, Rossi paid a $5,000 fine for breaking lobbying rules by trying to secure business licenses to operate parking lots on Chicago Public Schools property when he wasn’t registered as a lobbyist with his company Chicago Parking Solutions.

Rossi also benefited from Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration at City Hall. Along with his business partners and clients, Rossi gleaned $38.5 million in deals under Johnson. He is no longer registered as a City Hall lobbyist, but he is registered to lobby state lawmakers in Springfield and owns a cannabis startup that has converted a bank building in suburban Bolingbrook into a dispensary.

In 2024, Hubbard Inn was the site where a woman posted a video to social media claiming she was manhandled by a security guard and thrown down the stairs. A judge later dismissed nearly all of the accusations made.

A GoFundMe set up for Watson's funeral expenses has raised $8,875 of a $16,000 goal.

Services have been set for next week.

A Celebration of Life Services and visitation will be held from 5 - 7 p.m. on March 20th at the Fountain Jordan Shepard Funeral Home, 418 S. Cicero Ave., in Chicago. On March 21, a wake will be held from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at New Home Baptist church, 4800 W. Polk St. in Chicago.