Nightclub Shut Down After Stabbing, Shooting In Hamden

HAMDEN, CT — Citing a “developing pattern of violent activity,” the state has suspended the liquor license and temporarily shut down a nightclub in Hamden. Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull has issued a summary suspension for K & D Lounge, located at 940 Dixwell Avenue, just days after a 27-year-old West Haven resident was stabbed several times in the back at the club and gunfire broke out in a nearby parking lot.

Hamden Police notified the Department of Consumer Protection’s Liquor Control Division of the incident, which occurred late Sunday night (Oct. 6). The police reported stated that there “was a stabbing that occurred inside K & D Lounge and then multiple gunshots were fired in the parking lot by three or four individuals where 23 shell cases were recovered. It is believed that the shooting was immediately subsequent to and a result of the stabbing that took place inside the establishment.”

Police didn’t find any gunshot victims at the scene but were notified by Yale-New Haven Hospital personnel that a stabbing victim had arrived at the hospital.

In a letter to the state Department of Consumer Protection, Hamden Deputy Chief Bo Kicak said police have seen a “dangerous pattern occurring” at the club, including “acts of violence.”

“I would like to thank the men and women of the Hamden Police Department for their cooperation and timely communication regarding this serious matter,” Seagull said in a statement. “The October 6th stabbing and shooting, in conjunction with reports of a developing pattern of violent activity that are draining police resources imperils public safety and demonstrates the need for better control of the premise by the permittee, backer, or their agents. We value the partnership we have with local law enforcement, which allows us to best respond to these incidents. I look forward to resolving this issue quickly.”

The Department of Consumer Protection’s Liquor Control Division is investigating the incident and “the establishment will remain closed under a summary suspension until the case is resolved,” according to a news release.