Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - With an increase in violent incidents among the youth during "co-mingling" events in the City of Buffalo, action is being taken to try and shore up the safety of all at these events before it gets worse.
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It was just two months ago when three people were shot inside Club Marcella during one of these co-mingling events, with one of the shooting victims, 21, being killed. It was on Friday when the U.S. Mashal Service and Buffalo Police were able to locate the alleged shooter and bring him into custody.
"They've been looking for him for the past month, and they were able to find him right in our own backyard here in South Buffalo," said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn during a press briefing on Friday. "He was picked up this morning, brought in, and he was arraigned earlier this afternoon in front of Judge [Kenneth] Case. The indictment was one count of Murder in the Second Degree, two counts of Attempted Murder in a Second Degree, and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree for having and using, allegedly, an illegal handgun at the time the shooting."
According to their investigation into the deadly homicide in the early morning hours of Feb. 12, 2023, Flynn says they believe the incident took place after there was a fight that broke out over flirting.
"We believe there were two groups of people, and a girl in the one group of people was flirting with another girl in the second group of people. The shooter took offense, allegedly, to that flirting going on, words were exchanged at that point, initially, and then a fistfight broke out," Flynn detailed of the incident. "It was broken up pretty quickly by security in the club, and one set of security officers was escorting the one group out, and the second set of security officers was escorting the second group out, and both security teams didn't really know what the other one was doing and they both exited out to the same exit there. When the shooter turned around and saw one of the individuals who they were engaged in a beef with five minutes ago, he allegedly pulled out his gun and fired at this individual, striking him and killing him. At that same time, also shot and injured another male and another female that was with the deceased."
The 20-year-old alleged shooter, Sharief McBroom, and another 17-year-old fled the scene shortly after the shooting took place. Authorities were able to identify the 17-year-old accomplice a short time after the shooting, which eventually led to them identifying McBroom as the shooting suspect.
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While Flynn was critical of the security measures taken by the staff at Club Marcella leading up to the fatal shooting, he adds these co-mingling events some businesses are allowed to hold every year are bad news.
"I didn't know it was called co-mingling, I knew about the practice, though. My daughter used to be a manager on Chippewa for an establishment, so I knew about that practice," Flynn said. "I think it's a bad idea. I think that people 21-and-above should be in bars, and if you're below 21, you shouldn't be."
However, in recent weeks, there have been a number of additional violent incidents among youth in Buffalo during some other co-mingling events, though not to the extent of what took place at Club Marcella.
"Some of the residents have complaints about just the loitering, small fistfights and things of that nature," said Erie County Legislator Howard Johnson on what he's heard from people of his district on these incidents. "And it's kind of just spilling to where they live at, just the nature of them being down there after 10 o'clock."
With the news of these recent fights and other incidents taking place during co-mingling nights, especially in-and-around Chippewa Street, Johnson brought a resolution to the Legislature floor on Thursday, asking the Buffalo Common Council to deny applications for co-mingling events.
"We asked them to take a pause, and we even took it a step further just to ask them to facilitate a conversation with Buffalo Place, the Common Council, the Chippewa Alliance," explained Johnson with the resolution, that was passed by the Legislature. "The reason we asked for this is I sit on the board for Buffalo Place, and there's been some troubles that occur downtown that was troubling to the board, particularly what happened at Club Marcella, and what happened at the [Buffalo and Erie County Public] Library, two of the latest incidents with youth being downtown. So we wanted to pose the question to those, there's a couple of bars down there that are looking to put those co-mingling applications in front of the Common Council to be passed. In fact, they went as far as to put about 102 applications in front of the Common Council to pass co-mingling."
Johnson says if these applications for co-mingling events were to be passed, residents downtown and others with the Buffalo Place board want to know how everything will work with these businesses, and what plans are in place to keep things in check with those under the age of 21.
"I know they're not supposed to be drinking down there, but when you have that element down there, anything can happen," he said.
While Johnson does not exactly anticipate swift action to take place as a result of this proposed meeting, he's hoping there will, at least, be a thoughtful conversation that results in a plan put in place.
"I don't think you can just approve 100 applications, and the Common Council hasn't. I know they tabled the item, and I know the Common Council and the Common Council President [Darius Pridgen] are going to facilitate a conversation," Johnson said. "They're gonna facilitate a conversation between those groups to come to something, because they just want to ensure that a few isolated incidents are not gonna become the norm."
While Johnson certainly does not want to take away from any business by totally squashing the co-mingling, District Attorney Flynn firmly believes anyone under the age of 21 should not be inside any bar with other adults.
"There's no need for 17-, 18-year-olds to be hanging out in bars. There's no need for it," he said. "If you want to have dance clubs that you create in the city, that's fine. Just have them outside of a bar where they're serving alcohol. Just have a dance club. There's other venues and other things for people under 21 to do without hanging in bars. I'm just one opinion."
Johnson also feels a youth night might be a suitable solution to try and help curb the number of violent incidents. While he also feels these co-mingling nights are a bad idea, Johnson feels if they are allowed to continue, there needs to be some stronger measures in place.
"You're mixing 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds with adults, with adults who are able to drink alcohol, if I'm 22 and my friend is 19, I'm in a bar and I'm drinking, I might want to get my friend a drink who's underage. I know that's not supposed to happen, but that could be a possibility of something that could happen. So I think that that's why we have to facilitate a conversation, and I think there has to be some strong parameters put in place to ensure that doesn't happen. Some strong parameters need to be put in place that we're curbing any type of rambunctious, violent nature, that may occur," Johnson said.