Jan 8, 2008 3:09 pm US/Eastern
Padlock, Knife Lead To New Year's Fiasco In Boston
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
-
-
Police say bartenders at Vlora were pouring drinks after hours and employees were drunk.
WBZ
It opened just a year ago, and now a Boston restaurant is in danger of closing because of an ugly New Year's Eve confrontation and safety concerns.
"I yelled knife and pulled my firearm out," said Sgt. Michael McCarthy.
And that's how Boston police rang in the New Year on a call at Back Bay's Vlora restaurant.
They responded to a report of a possible sexual assault at Vlora but when they showed up they couldn't get in.
When police arrived, the metal grate was down over the front door. The restaurant was locked by a padlock from the outside. "There were 45-65 people inside with no easy way to escape," said McCarthy during a licensing hearing on Tuesday. "They would've been like soccer fans, squished up against the grate."
That's just one reason why Vlora's owners and lawyers are before the city's licensing board fighting to stay open.
Police say bartenders were pouring drinks after hours and employees were drunk. When officers tried to speak to the owner, Aldo Velaj, he allegedly took a swing and a bartender pulled a knife. "I saw the bartender grab the knife it was a large knife and he was coming toward us," said Officer Joseph Glynn as he described the evening.
"It became so hostile officers had to draw their weapons," explained McCarthy.
Howard Wayne, the lawyer for the owners admits it was poor judgment on his client's behalf. "It was New Years it was 2:30 in the morning, 3:00 in the morning and the judgment wasn't very good. In light of other events, fires that have occurred in New England; didn't want another tragedy like that to occur for sure."
Luckily, tragedy escaped -- even though weapons were drawn, a knife was in the air and the main door to this restaurant was locked tight.
The owners say the door was locked because they had fired a disgruntled employee that night. Several criminal charges have been filed against one of the owners and the bartender. The licensing board will make its decision Thursday.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments