A hookah lounge in Middletown could see its zoning permit revoked after a man was shot and killed in the parking lot outside.
The police chief is urging city officials to revoke the permit, saying the business has seen many calls for officers from fights to loud noises and now a deadly shooting.
“When you endanger the public at one location multiple times, I think it’s time for the community to respond to say 'is this the right thing for us?'”
That location being Hidden Hookah Lounge on South Main Street in Middletown.
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Police Chief Erik Costa has reached out to city officials in a letter recommending the permit for the business to be revoked.
The request comes after a 20-year-old man was shot and killed outside the hookah lounge early Sunday morning.
“It affects the community at large. The current situation we had just last weekend…gunfire could possibly have gone into neighboring adjacent neighborhoods as well as other businesses,” he said.
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Costa says since he became police chief in October 2021, his department has received more than 100 calls for service that include “shooting, slashing, fights, and loud noise” at the location, with about 30 resulting in criminal investigations. He says this is not sustainable for his department.
“Those type of resources dedicated to one business at four o’clock in the morning is significant and it’s not something that’s prudent for the operations of the police department,” he said.
We did reach out to a phone number for the owner of the hookah lounge for comment. The person who picked up said they couldn’t talk.
Costa says he doesn’t take shutting down businesses lightly and wants to work with the city and planning and zoning commissioners on the best path forward.
“We’re trying to look for good ideas, whether it’s restricting their permit or whether it’s moving forward in trying to make them successful, but right now, it’s not working," Costa said.
A public hearing on whether to revoke the permit of the hookah lounge is being set for next month.
