At 7 p.m. the doors of Papa's Pizza were locked up and the "Open" sign was turned off. The normally late-night establishment is voluntarily cutting its hours after Saturday's shooting that injured five people, one critically. Police arrested 21-year-old Byron Taylor for allegedly shooting one person and are still investigating. But Papa's is hoping closing early will help cut down on the number of people congregating on Union Street.
"I appreciate that they're doing that. I think it's definitely going to help a little bit, but there are other places that are still open later at night," said Corrado Panno, owner of Mad Dawg's, a bar down the street from Papa's.
Panno says these acts of violence are taking away business.
"For the last two summers I've been here, it's definitely affected my business. The violence down here on Union Street has people apprehensive to actually come down here and spend some time in Hartford," said Panno.
Bar owners with places close to the Mansion nightclub agree. Saturday morning, a person was shot in the stomach while inside Mansion, which was formerly Club Blu. Now, police are enforcing a city ordinance that would require the club to step up security.
The city ordinance says businesses like Mansion, which have extended hours of business, need to hire a police detail if the Chief of Police feels it's necessary to protect the businesses patrons and employees.
"Makes me feel a little bit better. I'm not too worried about anything happening inside the bar, but I'm sure it deters people from trying anything," said Mark O'Connor, who was visiting from Chicago, Illinois.
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But some people say there is already a police presence, so they don't know what more police will do.
"I don't know see how more of a police presence would deter these random, isolated acts," said Edward Cumming of Hartford.
The permittee of Mansion had no comment.
