Four people were stabbed Sunday, April 11 at Tranquilo Bar and Restaurant at 221 S. Elm St. in downtown Greensboro.
None of the four had life threatening injuries, according to the police report.
In response to that incident Sunday, Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan posted the following on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nancy.vaughan
“Tranquilo was not very tranquil today. Reports of a possible stabbing/shots fired sent people running. It was a beautiful day in downtown Greensboro, until it wasn’t.
“This is not the first reported act of violence, in a bar or nightclub, this year. As bars, nightclubs and restaurants are allowed to increase capacity and people are feeling more comfortable being out again we are seeing a rise in violent acts and bad behavior.
“In December, in an effort to get ahead of this issue, I proposed a DRAFT ordinance to hold bad actors accountable for violent acts on, or directly related, to their premises. By itself, it won’t eliminate ALL shootings, aggravated assaults or homicides, but it will reduce them.
“This is a public safety issue. I am going to move forward with the proposed public hearings to get the input from stakeholders. That means anyone who has an interest in this ordinance (owners, promoters, patrons, law enforcement, or the general public)
“We cannot turn a blind to businesses that have a history of operating in an unsafe manner.
“Stay tuned …”
On Monday, April 12, police responded to a call about a shooting in the parking lot of the McDonald’s at West Wendover Avenue and Bridford Parkway.
The victim, Chavez Laquan Vargas, died and police are investigating the shooting as a homicide.
The McDonald’s where the homicide occurred on Monday would not be affected by Vaughan’s proposed ordinance.
In 2020, Greensboro set a new record with 61 homicides. Of those homicides, two were at establishments that would be covered by Vaughan’s proposed ordinance, which means that 59 of the homicides were not associated with establishments that had licenses for onsite alcohol consumption.
When Vaughan’s proposed ordinance was discussed by the City Council in January, it met strong opposition from City Councilmembers Justin Outling and Marikay Abuzuaiter.
The city also received a letter from Amiel Rossabi of Rossabi Law Partners on behalf of the restaurants and clubs he represents, threatening the city with legal action if the proposed ordinance was passed.
Wow,Mayor Nancy,I feel safer already!But gee whiz-since I don’t frequent bars or nightclubs,could you come up with another genius plan plan to protect people like me?
I dont think it fair that I could get shot or stabbed or robbed anywhere in Greensboro.Please put that powerful mind of yours to work to protect those of us who might not be in a bar or nightclub-only driving home with our families or at a McDonalds.
We’re waiting!
Four people assaulted with a knife. And you want to close a business that had nothing to do with the felony?
How stoopid is that? It follows from the ditzes on the Council that we should ban knives; which is stoopider. I will not comply. You can’t have my Swiss Army knife.
Which one is Vaughn – Dumb or Dumber???
pluperfect. Dumbest.
Both.
Mayor Vaughn’s revisiting the nightclub and bar ordinance is typical of liberal thinking. Only 2 of the 61 homicides occuring in Greensboro to date would be appropriately addressed which means all the clubs and bars falling under the ordinance would be burdened with unnecessary security measures and the incumbent costs. In an effort to address a non-existent problem, she would impose restrictions only to appear to be doing something substantive. The same thinking drives things like gun control, where law abiding citizens are penalized for no other reason than a feel good mindset that we won’t solve the problem, but this will make us feel good.
Update: It’s not the business that need dealing with. It’s the thugs! If you strictly & aggressively enforce the laws & ordinances, you get results. If you let Thugalicious & his friends & enemies run wild, you get what you get. Put dress code ordinances in place: no loose sagging pants, no clothing that can be construed as gang colors. Will it offend some, YES it will, but it will also make it safe for granny to go out after dark.
Bit of a nanny state mindset there ‘just sayin’.
Sometimes that’s what it takes. A thug is a thug. Screw ’em! I suppose we should give them all lolipops and stickers instead? It really won’t matter, they’ll start burning it all down in a few weeks anyway, and with the council’s blessing. Sure Vaughn will give it some lip service, but a lack of action is as bad or worse than a blessing from council. Vaughn & Kennedy see peaceful protesters (nevermind the rocks, pipes & molotov cocktails) I see speed bumps and kindling. If you sit there like a lump while these jerks block our public roads that just adds to the problem.
This proposed heavy handed years old idea of Mandate Mayor will do nothing but burden small business that directly compete for entertainment dollars with city owned and supported venues like Performance Arts Boondoggle and the many venues in one (coliseum) . City will naturally be exempt from heavy handed requirements and definitely all penalties. More folks have been shot or stabbed in coliseum parking lot than anywhere in county over the past 25 years (remember SuperJams).
Locking up the rat infested barns won’t get rid of the rats. They will just infest other barns or move into the house. Cannot domesticate them by setting out saucers of milk, they will just get more “ratty”. Nope. The solution is more cats aka police and if they do get bold and shoot, stab, steal, deal, etc., put some “teeth” in the laws by getting rid of these pushover judges. (we have some real beauts) Make them feel uncomfortable, and unloved and eventually they will move on. Not tough love. Just tough laws that get enforced. Rats are rats.
Maybe, just maybe, if Greensboro and Guilford County would start enforcing laws already on the books, they illustrious City Council wouldn’t have to rack their pea sized brains trying to solve problems they’ve helped to create.
Based on the examples used in this article, if the Greensboro Police Department would start collecting immigration information where applicable, and start sharing that information with ICE, some of the violence would be curbed, as people who have broken the law and entered this country illegally, with the intent to create/join gangs, distribute drugs, etc., would be sent packing, or at least avoid this area altogether, once word got out.
All too often, a politician’s approach to solving a criminal issue ends up negatively impacting the law abiding citizens. They always seem to focus on the wrong part of the equation. Just as with their approach to gun violence (“Let’s take guns away from law abiding citizens!!”), instead of going after nightclub owners, expecting them to do the job the police are supposed to be doing, they need to PROPERLY examine the facts behind who’s committing the violent acts, and be HONEST about the results, no matter whose poor little feelings they hurt.
Then, don’t just LET, but FORCE the police department to do their job – they are still LAW ENFORCEMENT, right? This past year, it seems that all we’ve seen from them is unlawful lockdown mandate enforcement, and social justice feelings protection.
Every dad it becomes clearer that the City of Greensboro can NOT be managed safely without good quality white MEN on “OUR” City Council. Greensboro is going down the drawn FAST. Why don’t the Council member who gets ALL the “Cure the Violence” money pay the thugs to move out of Greensboro and leave us good citizens alone. We will ALL be safer and live better lives. Support OUR police instead of the thugs.
mayor Vaughn is an idiot along with about 5-6 others on the council. Elections please hurry
Amen, Brothers, lose the whole bunch,
Once again, the mayor
avoids the issue of policing. Another virtue signalling move with questionable results.
What happened to search policies at bars? A quick pat down by the bouncers for anyone entering the bar could stop it.