ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - A nightclub that some believe is at the center of recent shootings in downtown St. Louis is fighting to keep its doors open at a hearing in City Hall.
There was no decision at the conclusion of Friday's hearing with the St. Louis Excise Division on the future of Reign Restaurant on Washington Avenue. The bar's attorney admits something has to be done better, but questions if there are violations that require immediate suspension of its license.
The bar is under fire after several recent shootings outside the establishment, including one in December of last year. It shows a Reign guard with his arm around a man who was involved in a dispute on the sidewalk outside the restaurant’s front door. After the man is punched, he started shooting, spraying shots into the crowd. He was wounded and crawled into Reign. The guard walked up and down the sidewalk armed with an AR-style rifle
The detective testified that four people were wounded.
Reign's attorney is arguing that the person responsible for that shooting was not a customer and the confrontation that led to it happened outside. A detective testified that there was nothing Reign security could have done to prevent the shooting that left four people wounded.
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There was a pair of shootings within four days outside the club last month.
While a police officer and undercover excise officer have testified that Reign has seen more issues than other Washington Ave establishments, Reign’s attorney contends there’s no direct connection between the bar and those incidents.
St. Louis 7th Ward alderman Jack Coatar has become very frustrated with the establishment and has been calling on Mayor Tishaura Jones to shut it down or revoke its liquor license.
The nightclub will have another hearing on Sept. 20, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
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