In the wake of two recent fatal shootings, Hartford nightclub Up Or On The Rocks has been shut down and its liquor license suspended.
The club, located at the corner of Union Place and Allyn Street, shuttered its doors last Friday after its second deadly shooting in a month, and its liquor permit "was place under voluntary suspension by the owner," according to the state Office of Communication and Education.
Manchester resident Brian Simpe, 19, was shot and killed in a fight outside the club on Aug. 4. Another fight erupted last Friday, resulting in the death of Miguel Delgado, of East Hartford.
In a news conference on Aug. 30, Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra said he asked the club to shut down, and the owner agreed.
It will remain closed for an undetermined amount of time, and Segarra is asking that the club hire police officers and adopt additional security measures before it can reopen.
City officials planned to meet with the owner this week, according to Segarra.
The club has historically allowed 18-year-olds inside, but this policy could change. Police say clubs that permit underage party-goers can draw rougher crowds.
Segarra said he's calling on lawmakers to change the law that allows minors into nightclubs, and State Sen. Paul Doyle, who co-chairs the legislature's General Law committee, said he's seriously considering it.
"You can't have these minors in these situations," Doyle said.
Authorities said that Simpe died in a fight over a girl, and that Delgado died in a confrontation that started with a spilled drink.
The victims' family members called the club a liability and said they wanted it closed for good.
Both shooting suspects have been arrested and charged.