Police arrested a suspected Moorpark gang member April 4 following a report of a brawl outside a sports bar in Simi Valley.

Alfredo Rodriguez, 18, was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon, being in possession of a concealed firearm and carrying a loaded handgun in a vehicle.

Simi police responded to a call for service at 2:34 a.m. Saturday at the Arena Sports Grill & Bar, adjacent to the Grand Vista Hotel on Enchanted Way. According to Sgt. Bill Lappin, the caller told police that around 20 male gang members were fighting inside and outside of the bar.

"When we arrived, some of them had been pepper-sprayed by security, and upon our arrival all the participants had fled," Lappin said.

Dan Rosen, Arena manager, said the number of people involved in the fight was closer to 10. He called it an "isolated incident," adding that the men were not fighting with other customers but with members of their own group.

"It happened near our patio door, and we have top-notch door hosts there," Rosen said. "They controlled the situation and got it out front. The guys that were fighting still wanted to fight so that's why (security) pepper-sprayed them."

Rosen said five security guards were on duty at the time. While he does not know what caused the altercation, he said the men were at Arena celebrating at woman's birthday party. Arena staff made the call to police to report the incident, he said.

Lappin said officers didn't observe any weapons when they arrived and no Arena staff or patrons were hurt in the fight.

A short time later a citizen reported seeing a gang member with a handgun at the Del Taco restaurant across from the Arena. Based on the vehicle description provided by the citizen, officers soon stopped the vehicle on the westbound 118 Freeway near Madera Road.

Three females and five males, including Rodriguez, were in the vehicle. Rodriguez, in possession of a loaded .380 semiautomatic, was taken into custody and booked at the East Valley Sheriff's Station in Thousand Oaks.

The others in the vehicle were detained and then released, Lappin said.

Rosen was unsure if Rodriguez had been in the club, but he did speak with the group of men before the fight broke out.

"It was not just a bunch of young, punk guys. It was a nice looking crowd," he said. "I had no idea they were associated with gangs or anything."

According to Rosen, fights are a rare occurrence at Arena because most of the people who patronize the bar are from Simi Valley. Also, guests' IDs are scanned at the door and the dress code is strictly enforced.

Arena staff have identified the men who were involved in the fight, and they will not be allowed back into the bar, Rosen said.

"I have a commitment to the community to keep it a safe place for customers to go," he said.

—Carissa Marsh