Cincinnati nightclub surrenders liquor permits in wake of shooting

Sharon Coolidge, James Pilcher and Cameron Knight | The Cincinnati Enquirer

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CINCINNATI — The manager of Cameo nightclub where 17 people were shot — one of them fatally — early Sunday morning has voluntarily surrendered his liquor permits, Cincinnati City Manager Harry Black said.

The step comes as Cincinnati police continue to investigate who fired the shots and after the Ohio Investigative Unit, which handles the law-enforcement portion of liquor licensing, handed down several violations and citations. The investigative unit acted after touring the club once it was cleared by police Sunday.

City officials briefed council members Monday morning at the Law and Public Safety Committee meeting about the shooting. Cincinnati police had previously said 16 people had been shot. At the meeting, officials learned a man came forward Sunday night to say he was among those hit in the flurry of bullets, bringing the total number of victims to 17.

Among them: 27-year-old O'Bryan Spikes, who died.

The newly discovered victim means the Sunday shooting ties with a November 2015 shooting in New Orleans as the 10th worst mass shooting in the United States since 2013.

"I am confident we will find the people who are responsible," Police Chief Eliot Isaac said.

Adam Johnson, the investigative unit’s agent in charge for the Cincinnati district office, said the violations at the nightclub included the presence of marijuana at the bar, in employee areas and in plain sight in the club. Also, the inspection uncovered mold in some of the beer coolers (and some on bottles) as well as fruit flies and gnats in some of the liquor bottles.

It’s up to the state Ohio Liquor Commission to determine whether the violations should stand and if punishment is warranted. The club owners were also cited in 2015 for the presence of marijuana and paid an unknown fine to keep the licenses in place.

The club was licensed to serve beer, wine and liquor past the normal 1 a.m. time until 2:30 a.m., as well as being able to serve until 12 midnight on Sundays. All licenses were current and were up for renewal on June 1.

If club manager Julian Rodgers wants to operate a club again he'll have to apply for a new liquor permit, a process that can take months. He has said the club will remain closed until the police investigation is complete.

During the Law and Public Safety Committee meeting, Isaac said five people remained hospitalized; two in critical condition. Police do not have video surveillance of the actual shooting, he said.

In addition, the police department is working around the clock to determine what happened, but the department is not "actively looking" for specific suspects.

The vice squad is working with Cameo's manager, Isaac said. Rodgers said in a statement Sunday that Cameo will remain closed until the police investigation is complete.

Isaac's comments on the video surveillance differs slightly from what Rodgers said to WLWT-TV, a Cincinnati TV station, on Sunday. Rodgers said there were 15 to 20 security guards inside the club and camera systems "in place." It is unclear whether the security cameras missed the shooting or whether the footage had not been handed over to authorities yet.

Police haven't released the names of the victims other than O'Bryan Spikes, the deceased. They haven't explained the motive for the shooting, other than to say it was a fight between two groups. And they haven't said whether they know who fired the shots.

Isaac told council members two groups of people were arguing much of Saturday and into Sunday, the fight escalating into a shooting inside the club. That night four off-duty Cincinnati police officers were working a detail in the parking lot when the shooting broke out at 1:30 a.m. The officers were in uniform and at least one police vehicle was at the location.

More than 20 shots were fired, Isaac said. There are at least two shooters, he added.

"We're gathering information," Isaac said. And that included talking to those wounded, who were the closest to what happened.

There were approximately 200 people inside the club, who fled when shots rang out. That made it difficult for first responders, Fire Chief Richard Braun said.

"From chaos, we have to bring a semblance of normalcy," said Braun. "This is something we train for."

The paramedics had to make decisions about who needed the most immediate medical attention.

"It saved lives," Braun said.

"No question the whole world is looking at us and expressing their concern for us," said Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley.

City officials said the club has two prior shootings, both from 2015.

Follow Sharon Coolidge, James Pilcher and Cameron Knight on Twitter: @SharonCoolidge, @jamespilcher and @ckpj99

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