WARREN Club owner fears closing by the city

The nightclub owner says he feels he is at the 'mercy of criminals.'
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The owner of a popular nightclub says he fears city officials are trying to close his business.
LaShawn Ziegler, owner of 77 Soul, says he believes city officials want to declare his business a public nuisance and have it shut down.
Mayor Michael O'Brien says he wants to make sure the club can control its patrons, but he is not interested in shutting down any city business.
"Right now I am at the mercy of criminals," Ziegler said. "There have been numerous complaints about fights and shots being fired in my parking lot. I want to pay police to provide security for the parking lot, but I'm being told I can't do that."
Insurance reasons
Because of the police departments' insurance policies, officers aren't allowed to work security at liquor establishments, city officials said.
"I have security guards but people don't listen to the security guards because they know they have no arrest powers," Ziegler said. "I just want to run a business. I want people to be able to enjoy hip-hop music and have a good time. Most of the people causing the trouble don't come into the club. They just hang out in the parking lot."
Several people were injured during a fight this past weekend at the U.S. Route 422 nightclub that started on the dance floor and spilled into the parking lot. One woman was treated at a hospital after being stabbed in the back early Sunday.
Police were called to the club to quell the disturbance.
Many calls
Police have been called to the nightclub many times over the last year on reports of fights and gunfire, prompting meetings among some city officials to discuss concerns of nearby businesses.
The owner of the Travelodge, whose parking lot adjoins the club, wrote a letter in November to the previous administration threatening to close his business and take legal action if the city didn't take steps to address problems at the club.
"I asked the owner of the Travelodge to hire police to patrol his lot and I would pay for the cops," Ziegler said. "That way the cops would be there because they wouldn't be working at the nightclub and it would help me and him, but he refused. I don't know what to do."
Ziegler added that he has been trying to meet with O'Brien to address the concerns.
The mayor said he hopes to meet with Ziegler and "all of the club's neighbors" sometime next week.
"I talked to the Travelodge and they have 60 rooms, only four were being used over the weekend," O'Brien said. "I want to sit down and discuss this issue."
sinkovich@vindy.com