Shooting at Club Luna, city reviews efforts

Two males were shot about 1:38 a.m. January 6 at Luna Night Club at East 28 Street in Lorain.

Two males were shot about 1:38 a.m. January 6 at Luna Night Club at East 28 Street in Lorain, according to Lorain Police Capt. Roger Watkins.

Herb de la Porte, vicepresident of LifeCare Ambulance, said both male victims went to Cleveland Metro Hospital, one is in serious condition and the other, critical.

According to Lorain Sixth Ward Councilman Angel Arroyo Jr., while on his way back to an overnight shelter at St. Francis Cabrini Parish at 2143 Homewood Drive in Lorain, he heard gunshots. He saw many vehicles fleeing the scene with Lorain Police in action, helping the two gunshot victims who were on the ground. Arroyo said he assisted one of the victims by giving an officer his sweatshirt to tie around his wounds, due to the amount blood from his injuries. If the officers who helped the victims weren’t at the scene when they were, he said he doesn’t know what would have happened to them. It was very scary to see, he added.

“The two officers were trying to do whatever they could to stop the bleeding,” Arroyo said. “They saved their lives.”

He said Luna held an 18 and over party on the night of the incident; Arroyo saw flyers advertising the event online, prior to it.

In his two years as an elected official, Arroyo said, he has been trying to convince the state to revoke the bar’s liquor license because of it’s issues. Since he’s been elected, his goals were to look at places like bars, businesses and more that are dangerous to his ward and community, he said.

Luna has been high on his radar because of the many violent incidents that are reported there, he said. In the past year the club has been so violent he has received numerous complaints from parents and members of the community on fights, shootings, stabbings and more. He said there have been seven serious incidents there in that year. Arroyo encourages people to call police immediately if they feel they need to so events like these do not continue.

“The goal is to make sure the citizens and people are safe in the area,” he said. “It’s a danger to our community.”

In Arroyo’s first two years, he met with almost all of the bar owners and businesses on E. 28th Street. Luna is the only establishment where he has had no one to speak with and that their ownership is hard to find, he said.

To rid of the danger with Luna, Arroyo said he wants to take away their liquor license and keep his ward safe.

In summer 2017, Lorain City Council formally objected to the renewal of the liquor license for Velez Corp, doing business as Luna del Mar, 2156 E. 28th St. Another danger to the area, he said. The Ohio Division of Liquor Control scheduled a hearing for 2:30 p.m. Jan. 9 at the Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services, 42485 North Ridge Road, Elyria. Arroyo said there was an original hearing scheduled Dec. 21, but was postponed because the owners could not be found to serve them with the legal notice about the hearing. The Lorain Police Department then became involved to find the owner and give them the notice. According to Watkins, Lorain Police officially found the owner and served them with their notice from the board about two hours before the shooting. Now that Luna has been served, Arroyo said he is ready to move forward and will be in attendance for the hearing on Tuesday with petitions and people from the community to speak up. He said he will fight it as long as he’s in office.

“In between all the places on 28th street, I’ve been able to reach out with these businesses who are cooperative to work with - in order to improve our community,” he said. “South Lorain deserves better and I’m going to make sure they get the best they can get.”

“The goal is to make sure the citizens and people are safe in the area.”

— Sixth Ward Councilman Angel Arroyo Jr.