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The state of New York has suspended River Street Pub’s liquor license after officials determined that employees attempted to cover up a fight inside of the bar which ended with a man getting shot.
The Liquor Authority held a special meeting on Wednesday to suspend the Troy pub’s license. On January 25, the authority charged the business with operating a disorderly premise. In a news release, authority attorney Christopher R. Riano said that the owner failed to report the incident to police, denied that the shooting occurred at all, and intentionally attempted to conceal evidence.
These punishments all stem from a January 22 shooting at the pub. Troy police were called to St. Mary’s Urgent Care at around 1 a.m. that morning on reports of a gunshot victim with wounds to the stomach and leg. Police were initially told that the shooting happened near the River Street Pub. However, after visiting the scene and interviewing witnesses, two people told them that the shooting happened inside of the bar.
When the police first arrived at the bar, the front doors were locked with customers still inside. Officers tried to enter through the back door and found a male employee entering that way. They ordered him not to reenter the building several times, but he ignored them and locked the doors behind him. Police were able to gain entry to the bar when a second man left through the back door.
Inside of the bar, police discovered that the floor surrounding the pool table had been watched down with bleach. The owner of the bar, Vincenzo Pellicano, denied that a shooting ever happened.
This recent shooting is not the first time the authorities have been called to the River Street Pub for legal issues.
In 2014, the Liquor Authority fines the pub $2,000 over charges related to a slashing assault that occurred outside of the bar. According to officials, that incident involved a fight that began inside of the business and spilled outside, where one patron slashed another with a broken bottle. This incident was also not reported to the police.
In March 2016, the pub received a “letter of advice” from the state which said that they were operating a disorderly premise and sold to a visibly intoxicated person on February 25, 2016 – the night of another violent incident. That night, police were called to the bar on reports of a large fight involving several people. According to the police, a man was kicked out of the pub by the owner and attempted to reenter, when the owner tackled him to the ground.
Lawyer representing shooting victims and contributor Laurence Banville helps bar shooting victims and their families find the financial support they need by filing civil lawsuits against negligent property owners. We’ve asked him to share some info on bar owner liability for shootings on their properties:
The owners of bars, nightclubs, and all other businesses have a legal obligation to make sure their properties are free from preventable hazards that could pose a danger to the public. This includes taking preventative measures to reduce the risk of foreseeable violent crime. When shots are fired at a bar or nightclub, it’s important to determine if bar ownership met their legal obligation to public safety. If not, then the victims and their families may have grounds for a lawsuit.
For example, a bar owner might be deemed negligent for a shooting if their bar had a history of violent incidents but no efforts were made to reduce the risk of further violence – such as hiring security guards and requiring guests to be patted down for weapons before entering.
If you or a loved one is a victim of a bar shooting, we want to help your family get the justice and support you deserve. You can learn more about your legal options by contacting one of our experienced crime victim attorneys for a free consultation.
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