BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)- Buffalo police are investigating an overnight shooting that occurred outside Maggie’s Bar and Grill on Military Rd. early Sunday morning.
Officers responded to a shooting call outside of the business around 1:40 a.m. Detectives said a 22 year-old Buffalo man was struck by gunfire while outside of Maggie’s, after leaving the bar.
He was transported by ambulance to ECMC where he was treated and released.
A neighbor told News 4 they heard more than five shots fired.
“There’s a bullet hole in the side of my truck,” said Gregory, who lives near the bar. “Later that morning we come out and found my neighbor here got a bullet that went straight through her bathroom window.”
Gregory has lived near the establishment for eight years.
“Every single Saturday night there’s always a shooting, someone is shooting, fighting,” he described. “It’s nothing but an ongoing problem over and over and they do very little to deal with it.”
He said he’s complained to the city in the past.
“Somebody from the [State] Liquor Authority came and talked with me and my neighbors, and stuff like that, over the summer,” he said.
News 4 reached out to the SLA to find out the status of the liquor license and if Maggie’s has been charged or fined in the past but we have not heard back yet.
On Monday afternoon, Buffalo Police issued a cease and desist order to the bar.
Gregory doesn’t understand why Maggie’s wasn’t closed until now.
Mayor Byron Brown confirmed that over the last year there have been about 50 complaints from the bar for fights, assaults and people carrying weapons.
We asked why it took so many incidents to close the bar.
“Our intent is not to shut down businesses, it’s to work with businesses,” said Mayor Brown.
He said they’ve had a number of meetings with the owner.
North District Common Council Member Joseph Golombek told News 4 that strategy has been effective with this bar in the past.
“We had problems years ago and I did meet with the owner and things calmed down for a while,” said Golombek.
He told News 4 a flood of complaints about Maggie’s started again during the summer, which he brought to the Mayor’s attention.
Mayor Brown said community police officers and other agencies have been meeting with the owner to get them in compliance for the past year.
This shooting is the final straw.
“We have been working with other agencies and the establishment itself to bring it into compliance but in the aftermath of the shooting on Sunday morning, we decided the best course of action was to shut down this establishment,” said Mayor Brown.
Mayor Brown told News 4 the bar will have to reapply with the city to reopen, which involves meeting with city officials and Buffalo Police. The owners can reapply as soon as Tuesday.
The owner of Maggie’s Bar and Grille has obtained a lawyer, who told us he will make a statement on Tuesday.
Anyone with information is asked to text or call the Confidential TIPCALL Line at 847-2255.
