Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Security questions continue to be raised following another act of gun violence inside Club Marcella, which prompted Buffalo Police to order a shutdown of the establishment.
Early Sunday morning, a 30-year-old man was shot and beaten inside a bathroom of Club Marcella, making this the fourth shooting to happen in or around the Michigan Avenue nightclub this year and the second instance of a gun being "smuggled" inside the building.
"That seems like an awfully high number of violent incidents to occur and in the 12-month time span for any establishment," said Vista Security Group partner and former Buffalo Police Captain Jeff Rinaldo. "It's obvious that there's some kind of lag there in terms of security, their policies, or their protocols."
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Buffalo Police Commissioner Joe Gramaglia, during a press conference on Monday, reiterated the amount of security around the establishment and said the club has worked with them following prior incidents to ensure safety. The club has many cameras as well as metal detectors, both standing and handheld, as well as various protocols and procedures.
"There has to be a change, something has to be changed. They have an extensive camera system, they have an extensive security plan. They have other technology, but there is a security lapse, something is happening when guns are getting into the clubs, not only of they're getting into the clubs, but they're obviously being used."
Rinaldo suggests that this is not on the fault of the security plans and equipment, but on the security staff.
"It's one thing to have metal detectors and things of that nature, but it really comes down to the training of the security staff, it comes down to who has access to the property prior to its opening. When do they start screening staff? When did they start screening their patrons? Is it only at a certain hour? Is it from the minute it opens to the minute that closes? There's a lot of questions to be answered in terms of how a weapon would make its way into an establishment that is doing weapons screening."
In addition to security staff questions, the other problem may just be the clientele that are coming into the club.
Erie County District Attorney John Flynn on Monday said that two men in custody with alleged connection to the shooting are both accused of the following crime: one count of gang assault in the first degree.
"There is an issue with the clientele that's going there. Clearly, people are coming in that have gang ties and are bringing weapons into the club," said Commissioner Gramaglia.
"The allegation was that there was a shooting and some physical contact with the victim by the alleged perpetrators or their accomplices," added DA Flynn.
Club Marcella could reopen. They have the right to a hearing within 60 days. They must comply with both Buffalo Police and the city's Department of Permit and Inspection Services. Rinaldo highlights addressing important questions that the LGBTQ+ friendly club consider going forward to improve and further prevent high volume incidents.
"You have to look at occupancy, How much security do they have on staff? What is the training of the security in terms of utilizing the technology to detect weapons? What time does the security weapons screening start? You also have to look at how they train in terms of responding to problems inside of the club. Are they quick to respond if there's an argument? What policies and procedures do they follow when there is an issue inside to immediately stop the problem from turning into something so violent?"