NC nightclub where officer was shot has disturbing ‘history of violence,’ state says
The North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission has suspended the ABC permits of a nightclub where a Hickory Police officer was shot, commission officials said Friday.
The officer “was intentionally struck two times by gunfire” early May 26 in the parking lot behind Gateway Pub & Grill, located at 534A Highway 70 SW, according to an N.C. Department of Public Safety news release.
Officials didn’t release the name and condition of the officer or say if anyone was arrested. Hickory Police are still investigating the shooting, department officials said.
Since January 2022, Hickory Police have responded to at least 250 calls for service at the nightclub, Police Chief Reed Baer said in a statement Friday.
“The Gateway Pub has been and continues to be a place where violence and disorder occur on a regular basis,” Baer said. “The Gateway Pub has not only been a drain on our resources but also a place that threatens the safety of our community.”
The shooting of the officer “highlights a wanton disregard for public safety that must end,” Baer said
The nightclub “has a history of violent events,” including shots fired, large-scale fights, and weapons violations involving nightclub employees, according to the Department of Public Safety release.
“We hope this suspension will prevent future acts of violence at this location and have a positive impact on this community,” Bryan House, director of the state’s Alcohol Law Enforcement division, said in the release.
Nightclub management didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment by The Charlotte Observer on Saturday.
This story was originally published June 1, 2024 at 8:40 AM with the headline "NC nightclub where officer was shot has disturbing ‘history of violence,’ state says."