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Leaders want Winston-Salem bar shut down after two shootings, one of them deadly

The owner of the Spott Sports Bar turned in their permits after five were injured in a shooting Sunday.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The 3500 block of Glenn Avenue in Winston-Salem has been a hot spot for crime.  

Winston-Salem police said it's all taking place at the Spott Sports Bar.  

In early November, a 41-year-old man was shot and killed, and this past weekend, five people were shot at the bar.  

This most recent shooting caused Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines to get involved.  

"Neighbors who live close to the facility are concerned with their own safety when gunshots are fired as random as what happened the other night." Major Joines said. "I can understand their concerns."

Mayor Joines plans to deem the bar a nuisance and efforts by the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement caused the bar owner to willingly turn over their liquor license earlier this week. 

On Wednesday, police said 26-year-old Briyonna Mickens-Gambrell was arrested and charged in the most recent shooting that injured five people. She's in jail without bond. 

Mayor Joines said he's still pushing for the bar to shut down.  

"The courts have in some cases required the owner to close the facility," Mayor Joines said. "The reason we're pursuing that is even though they've given up their liquor license they could still rent out the facility to private events that could have liquor."

"The city will issue a nuisance abatement letter to this premise in the next few days," said Winston-Salem Police Chief William Penn. "We will continue to work together to address violent crime in our community." 

City Council member Kevin Munday said he understands the struggles bar owners face and encourages them to have a system similar to downtown bars where they meet with police regularly.  

Response to Shooting at 3533 Glenn Avenue

At approximately 12:00 pm today, we arrested and charged the suspect from the shooting that occurred at 3533 Glenn Avenue on November 26th, otherwise known as the Spott Bar, where multiple people were shot. Watch the video for an important message from Chief Penn and Mayor Allen Joines.

Posted by Winston-Salem Police Department on Wednesday, November 29, 2023

"They're banning together. If someone does something bad in one bar the bar owner lets everyone else know," Mundy said." They share the picture and information so the bad actor doesn't go from one spot to the other. They meet with the police department and the downtown Winston-Salem partnership. They are actively addressing violence." 

Both city leaders and police encourage people to speak up when they see something.  

Chief Penn said people's unwillingness to come forward hindered their investigation.

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