Melee At Bridgeport Hookah Bar Ends With Arrest Of Owner: Police

BRIDGEPORT, CT — The owner of Bridgeport-based Hollywood Hookah was arrested this month after a melee at the Main Street hookah bar resulted in police officers from six area law enforcement agencies converging on the scene to break it up, according to Bridgeport police.

All Bridgeport officers on duty in the early hours of Nov. 26 were called to the scene of the large fight, as were officers from the Fairfield, Trumbull, Westport and Milford police departments, in addition to troopers from the Connecticut State Police.

The incident began when Bridgeport officers "heard a gunshot and saw a muzzle flash from a group of people in front of" the bar.

"As the officers responded, they encountered a large fight on the street and inside the establishment," wrote Scott Appleby, Bridgeport's director of Emergency Management, in a statement. "Inside the lounge, those fighting threw bottles across the room."

Once order was restored, police "noticed unsafe conditions" inside the bar and contacted the Fire Marshal's office to investigate.

"Fire Inspector Christopher Vega conducted an inspection and found numerous violations including overcrowding in the basement of the building, smoke detectors covered to prevent activation, and a blocked exit," Appleby said. "Additionally, a firearm was recovered on Main Street in front of a neighboring storefront. The situation in the hookah lounge created a risk of physical injury to the patrons, employees, and responding police officers."

A warrant was obtained for the arrest of the bar's owner, Javier Wright, on a charge of second-degree reckless endangerment, and he turned himself in on Jan. 3.

Wright was released after posting a $5,000 bond, and is scheduled to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on Tuesday.