Albany, NY – The New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) summarily suspended the license of Buffalo Rebirth LLC, doing business as “Tryst” at 777 Aero Drive in Cheektowaga today. The suspension was ordered by Chairman Vincent Bradley and Commissioner Greeley Ford at a meeting of the Full Board on Wednesday, December 6th . Effective immediately, no alcohol may be sold or consumed on the premises.
On November 26th , officers from the Cheektowaga Police Department (CPD) arrested six Tryst patrons after numerous fights and disturbances broke out. Police responded to the establishment after receiving complaints that the club was hosting large after-parties with three different promoters on that evening. After a fight occurred in the parking lot between two large groups of patrons, the CPD assigned two cars to remain at Tryst until close.
Later that morning, another disturbance broke out at front door of the club between several female patrons, when police observed a vehicle speed through the parking lot, appearing to hit several pedestrians. Police detained the driver and was told by the occupants of the vehicle that an unknown male pointed a handgun at their car. Club security later alerted officers to the location of the suspect who was arrested for criminal possession of a weapon and resisting arrest. Two females who were with the suspect, one of whom was witnessed “tasing” random patrons inside the club earlier, were also arrested for possession of illegal substances. Additionally, three males were arrested for marijuana possession after attempting to drive around a police barricade while exiting the parking, despite police orders to stop.
Police reports indicate four additional incidents involving weapon possession or shots fired occurring in or around the premises since the club opened. On October 31st, police arrested a patron for driving while intoxicated and found a pistol, ammunition and loose rounds on the floor of her vehicle, and on October 29th police responded to the establishment for reports of shots fired and found a shell casing in the roadway.
On October 5th, the CPD recovered a stolen handgun from the licensed premises through a private investigator who reported that it was found in the parking lot. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that security recovered the handgun when it fell from the waistband of a customer. Additionally, security working for the club stated they had advised the manager to call police immediately, but the owner refused and locked the gun in the establishment’s safe.
On July 2nd, police on patrol heard gunshots and spotted a vehicle speeding off from the club’s parking lot. Officers approached the vehicle and observed several individuals, one of whom had a laceration to his cheek, who were yelling that they had been shot at. Police shut down traffic in the area, and several individuals in a vehicle attempted to get through the police barricade. Police detained those individuals and discovered a spent shell casing in the vehicle, as well as a handgun near the vehicle, shell casings in the parking lot and a second handgun in the bushes in front of the parking lot. All five individuals in the vehicle were arrested for criminal possession of a weapon.
Based on referrals from the CPD, police received 77 calls to Tryst between February 12th and October 31st. Of those calls, 27 were calls for disturbances, fights, disorder or harassment, and 23 resulted in the generation of a police report. The premises was licensed only on February 8, 2017, and since its opening, the CPD have had to hire officers on overtime to alleviate the strain that the licensed premises and its patrons was placing on the department’s ability to police the rest of the town.
“This establishment has not even been open for a year and it has already caused a significant strain on police resources, with the number and severity of violent incidents only escalating over time,” said Counsel to the Authority Christopher R. Riano. “I commend the Authority and the Cheektowaga Police Department for their diligence in stopping this operation before more victims were injured.”
The State Administrative Procedure Act authorizes a State agency to summarily suspend a license when the agency finds that public health, safety, or welfare requires emergency action. When the SLA summarily suspends a license, it also serves a Notice of Pleading alleging one or more disciplinary violations. In invoking a summary suspension, the SLA has deemed the violation to be sufficiently serious upon initial review to warrant an immediate suspension. The SLA’s decision to summarily suspend a license is not a final determination on the merits of the case. The licensee is entitled to an expedited administrative law hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. An order of summary suspension remains in effect until such time as it is modified by the SLA or a reviewing Court.