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Mark Oprea
Play Bar & Grill, at 1051 West 10th in the Flats East Bank, was where Cleveland Police believe a fight originated on Sunday evening, one that left six people shot. Its owner denies any involvement.
Play Bar & Grill, the venue where Cleveland Police believe a Sunday night confrontation that ended in a barrage of gunfire began, remains covered in plywood as authorities carry out an investigation some say shouldn’t involve the bar in the first place.
The move comes at the hands of Mayor Justin Bibb, who, some hours after the shooting occurred at 6:12 p.m. Sunday, directed officials to “immediately shut down and board up” Play Bar & Grill as authorities collected shell casings around the block. Six people, including the alleged shooter, were injured.
“We will hold everyone accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Bibb said in a statement.
Such a reaction by the city prompted Play Bar & Grill’s owners to speak out in protest of what they see as excessively knee-jerk and inappropriate.
The shooting “was not on this property, not on the premises at all,” co-owner David Hill said in an Instagram video on Sunday. “They were shooting down the street.”
“You can’t make this up, y’all—the only Black-owned business in the Flats,” he said. “Black Mayor Justin Bibb made the decision [to close Play] without no investigation, no paperwork!”
Hill contended nothing happened in his bar that precipitated the shooting and that the gunfire erupted after Play had already closed for the day due to excessive crowds.
No suspect has been named in Sunday’s incident, although Cleveland Police said in a statement to Scene that they are amongst the victims taken to the hospital by EMS.
Mark Oprea
Cleveland Police reiterated Monday afternoon that they believe the confrontation that sparked Sunday’s mass shooting began at Play Bar & Grill, then trickled outside onto West 10th and Front Ave.
In a press conference Monday afternoon, Chief Dorothy Todd reiterated CPD’s belief that the altercation originated inside Play. Todd also clarified their were six people shot in sum; roughly 40 shell casings, a city spokesperson told Scene, were found around Front Ave. and West 10th.
“This is still an active investigation,” CPD said. “We will provide additional information as it becomes available.”
The city can close a business by emergency order. Play’s ownership will have a chance to contest the order, though Hill told media on Monday he yet wasn’t informed of how or when.
A representative for Flats East Bank did not return a message for comment. Its website does not list Play Bar & Grill as of Monday afternoon.
Online, many seemed to support Hill’s business and balk at Bibb’s choice to put up plywood as the investigation is carried out.
“People did the shooting,” one commented. “Why is the bar being punished for it?”
“That is like charging a driver to fill a pothole,” another wrote, “because they drove over it.”
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Mark Oprea
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