CROSS LANES, W.Va. — Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper said Friday a Cross Lanes private club should be closed permanently following a Thursday morning shooting.
Carper said residents living near Appetizer’s Restaurant and Shep’s Lounge on Goff Mountain Road are “scared to death” after 30 gunshots rang out and one person was shot in the leg in the parking lot following a Christmas night private party.
“There are private homes just feet away from this bar. It’s just a bad place,” Carper said. “Frankly, they haven’t shown responsibility. They talk a good game about how they are going to straighten their act up but I think it’s time for that particularly establishment to be closed.”
The state Alcohol Beverage Control Agency has already suspended Appetizer’s private club license for 10 days.
Owner Michael Shepherd released a statement Thursday afternoon saying two of the party guests were escorted outside following an altercation where the fight restarted with guns. Shepherd decided to temporarily close the business.
“It is with great sadness that Shep’s Lounge will suspend operations for a limited time so that an investigation may fully determine what transpired and take all necessary precautions to insure that this type of action does not occur again,” Shepherd said in the release. “We are saddened and alarmed by these intrusive and irresponsible actions as our neighbors surely are, and will work with law enforcement to make certain all parties are held accountable for their actions.”
County Commission President Carper wasn’t impressed with the response.
“We are going to urge the Alcohol Beverage Control (Agency) not to renew the license, but if they choose to renew the license, at the very least, they ought to hold a public hearing first and seek the input of the people that have to put up with this,” Carper said.
St. Albans resident 22-year-old Carlo Gray was shot in the leg. Kanawha County sheriff’s deputies are still looking for the shooter. Carper said it’s amazing no one else was injured.
“There were bullet holes all over the place. It’s a miracle that a large number of people weren’t killed,” the commissioner said.