South Side district justice who called for 'crime state of emergency' now says it's time to close certain bars
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A district justice is blaming a half-dozen bars that he says are attracting and catering to a criminal clientele.
Shots fired at 18th and Mary streets on the South Side left their mark on a dog grooming business at the start of the work week. There was also a drive-by shooting on the same block the week before.
District Justice Eugene Ricciardi blames Embr, the bar on the corner.
"I want the bar closed," he said. "This bar is a magnet for bad behavior, for criminal behavior."
Ricciardi, who earlier this week called for a "crime state of emergency" on the South Side, said Embr is one of a half-dozen bars that are drawing a criminal element and becoming the sites of gun violence and lewd behavior.
"I'm willing to accept the temporary closing of all the nuance bars on the South Side," Ricciardi said. "If they don't temporarily close on their own, then I'm calling for the revoking of their license."
On Wednesday, police served a search warrant at Skybar, the scene of a recent viral video of a woman voluntarily being sexually violated.
On Thursday, the owners were summoned to Liquor Control Enforcement for a meeting with LCE agents and investigators from the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office.
Skybar has voluntarily shut down for the time being. In a statement, the bar said it's cooperating with the investigation and calls itself the victim in the case, which rankles Ricciardi.
"That is such a joke when bars say they are the victims," he said. "They know the type of clientele they're attracting. They know there's going to be problems."
Despite neighborhood complaints of late-night noise, fights and drunkenness, Embr's manager said the establishment has tight security inside and calls it unfair to blame the bar for incidents of gun violence outside.
"Maybe we all need to sit down and figure out how we all can work together," manager Shauntel Green said. "I don't think it's fair everybody's first response is shut 'em down, shut 'em down. How is that fair?"
On Friday, Embr posted that it will begin closing at midnight instead of 2 a.m., but Ricciardi said it should close entirely until there's a plan to resolve all issues.
