On the same day the State College Police Department said it would be wise for metal detectors to be used in local bars, Club Love owner Tony Sapia spoke out about Penn State senior Michael Donahue's stabbing death, calling it "a real tragedy."

"Mike was a very, very nice guy," Sapia said yesterday about the Feb. 17 stabbing of Donahue at Club Love, 129 1/2 Pugh St.

"It was a sin. It was a shame. All we can do is pray for the families involved," Sapia said. He said he had met Donahue a few times but did not specify where or when, saying "once you met him, you met him."

Donahue died at Mount Nittany Medical Center on Feb. 19 from a puncture wound to the heart, having never regained consciousness after being stabbed.

Police arrested Josephy A. Ventura, 27, of East Prospect Avenue, the night of the stabbing. He was found in possession of a bloody kitchen knife with a 3-inch blade once in police custody, according to court documents.

Since Donahue's death, prosecutors have aggressively moved forward with the case, charging Ventura with first-degree murder -- a crime that is punishable with life in prison or the death penalty.

Citing Donahue's death and past incidents where weapons have been brought into bars, police said yesterday it's a wonder metal detectors aren't used in local bars.

"It would be very simple for [bars] to implement [metal detectors]," State College police Sgt. Mark Argiro said. "I'm really surprised these bars, in light of what's happened recently, haven't moved toward that."

Sandy Ruff, a sales associate for Texas manufacturer Garrett Metal Detectors, said walk-through metal detectors cost anywhere from $4,000 to $6,000. A hand-held metal detector costs about $200, Ruff said.

Despite last month's stabbing, Sapia said he hasn't considered using metal detectors in Club Love. He said he was there the night of the stabbing but declined to talk about specifics, citing a potential hazard to the pending court case.

Sapia did, however, say what he thought of the stabbing.

"It is really f----d up, just a real tragedy. I don't know how else to put it. It's bad," he said.

On Tuesday night, the Shandygaff, rear 212 E. College Ave., called the police when a 21-year-old student was kicked out of the bar after a patron said he had a knife. Argiro said police do not think the man ever drew the knife, and because he kept it concealed in a pocket clip, there are no laws preventing him from carrying it.

However, because bars are private establishments, they are allowed to make their own policies, Argiro said. The bouncers chose to kick the knife-carrying student, who was intoxicated, out of the bar. When he refused to leave, police gave him a disorderly conduct citation.

Though entirely unrelated to Donahue's death, the Shandygaff incident may prove that the Club Love stabbing still resonates with students. It's possible patrons reported the knife at the Shandygaff because they had heard of Donahue's death and were scared, Argiro said.