Bar Issued Cease-And-Desist Order After Double-Fatal Shooting In West Haven: Mayor

WEST HAVEN, CT — In the wake of a double-fatal shooting outside a bar in West Haven, Mayor Dorinda Borer announced Wednesday that the city has issued a cease-and-desist order for the business, plans to hire four more police officers, and create a quality-of-life division within the police department.

Borer and West Haven Police Chief Joseph S. Perno held a news conference Wednesday morning to discuss the investigation of the fatal shooting and announce measures the city was taking to improve public safety.

The shooting happened around 1:30 a.m. on June 20 outside the Muzeum Sports Bar and Grill in the 600 block of Campbell Avenue, according to police.

Brothers Miguel Daniel Blake, 31, of New Haven, and 34-year-old Dravere Christopher Blake, 34, of Meriden, were killed in the shooting and another person was injured.

The Muzeum Sports Bar and Grill said in a statement released Tuesday that the Blake brothers were employees of the bar. Muzuem Bar & Grille also said it was cooperating with the police investigation and that it would be closed for the new few weeks to give the staff time to mourn.

While the incident remains under investigation, Perno said on Wednesday that a fight took place inside the Muzeum before the shooting, and it “reignited outside and escalated into punches being thrown during the second altercation.”

“A gun was brandished by one of the participants, and several shots were discharged, striking the three victims,” Perno said. “While I am not able to provide a motive, I can assure you that this was an isolated incident. This is a time-consuming task to examine the evidence, which includes cell phone data, video, and witness statements. This department has directed patrol in the area for some time now, and they were in the area when the shots rang out. They were there within 30 seconds.”

Borer said that while the people involved in the incident were not from West Haven, “it is clear that we have a few bars in a concentrated area that have detrimental activity, and that we continually need to address.”

“So, as public safety challenges evolve, so does our response need to evolve,” Borer said. “To that end, the chief and I have taken some additional steps to address these issues. The first is that we have provided a cease-and-desist order to the bar known as the Muzeum.

“While they had voluntarily closed in response to the investigation, our cease-and-desist will guarantee and assure that this bar does not reopen in the near future.”

Borer said the city will also be hiring four more police officers.

“While we have been investing millions into our public safety system and modernizing it, and providing the tools and the resources to our police officers to allow them to do their jobs,” Borer said. “A lot of this comes down to manpower, as we have an extensive beach, a downtown, and many areas to cover. We are one of the largest cities in the state, but our force does not reflect that.

“Now we are in a better position with funding to increase the force, and the budget we passed last month allows for these officers to be hired. So, while it was the plan to increase patrol, we are now going to escalate the time frame for these hires. Another step the chief has taken is to create a quality life division within the police department.”

Borer said there will be dedicated officers specifically assigned to address quality of life issues throughout the entire city but with a “focus on the on the downtown and the beaches.”

“The chief and I have also assembled a business compliance task force, which will be led by the police department, and it will include all agencies of the city, including police, fire, health, zoning, and building, who will be shifting schedules, and they will be conducting multiple visits day and night to any problem businesses,” Borer said. “If you are in the great majority of establishments in the city that are in good standing, and you have no police requirements and no public safety concerns, you have nothing to worry about.”

Borer said the goal is “not to punish the businesses that operate responsibly.”

“Our goal is to ensure that every establishment follows the rules and the law, and if a business has been a problem for us, we are going to continue to be a problem for you,” Borer said. “As the chief said, there is zero tolerance. Lastly, we have been working with our partners at the Consumer Protection Division and the liquor division throughout the year, and they have committed to increase the review of compliance with liquor licenses.”

See also: 2 Brothers Killed In Shooting In West Haven ‘Touched The Lives Of So Many People,’ Family Says