Sharky’s bar, where an attempted murder with a gun took place in late January, will close at midnight, and all patrons must leave the place an hour later.
The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) and the litigation department of the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux, and the owners of the establishment on boulevard de L’Acadie, in the Cartierville sector, came to an agreement which was ratified by the RACJ on Friday.
Sharky’s liquor licenses were suspended urgently and the bar had been temporarily closed since violent events occurred on the morning of January 29th.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Crime scene set up in front of Sharky’s bar, January 29
Shortly before 6:10 a.m. that morning, two different shooters opened fire inside the establishment when it should have been closed for 3 a.m.
The gunfire continued outside and a man was seriously injured. He miraculously survived.
Possible conflict between gang members
Images captured by the establishment’s surveillance cameras and a police report on these events were filed with the RACJ on Friday.
On the videos, we can see that it all starts with an altercation. A man shoots in the air, causing panic among customers. They then head down a corridor and up a staircase, not knowing where to turn.
PHOTO FROM LINKEDIN
Simon Sener is suspected of attempted murder.
The two shooters have been arrested, including the alleged perpetrator of the attempted murder, Simon Sener, 27, who appeared at the Montreal courthouse on Thursday.
A conflict between members of street gangs is said to form the backdrop to at least one of the two shooting events that occurred on the same morning.
A different clientele after midnight
The SPVM considers the Sharky’s bar to be a problematic establishment, in particular because it is a regular meeting place for street gang members.
The bar is open seven days a week and is frequented by patrons who are mostly busy with the many video poker machines until around midnight, but thereafter the clientele changes and is much more restless.
In addition, the establishment regularly continues its activities after the legal time fixed at 3 am.
“There are several witnesses who tell us that the alcohol is served and that the number of people very often exceeds the closing of the bar, not only on the evening of the main event, even before this event. Employees of nearby businesses and witnesses in the area say the bar is often open until the wee hours of the morning. There are not many bars open 7 days a week on the island, so it attracts a certain clientele,” testified police officer Sandro Di Matteo of the SPVM.
The owners of Sharky’s have pledged to stop selling alcohol at midnight and to have no customers in their establishment after 1 a.m.
They have also agreed to hire two doormen to ensure, with the help of a metal detector, that there are no more weapons in the establishment and to verify the age of customers.
A manager and a waitress, who were present during the events of January 29, were also fired.
The administrative judge Natalia Ouellet accepted the agreement and the voluntary commitment of the owners of the bar while taking however that there is a follow-up of the file.
Another date has been set for the form at the end of April.
To reach Daniel Renaud, dial 514 285-7000, ext. 4918, write to [email protected] or write to the postal address of The Press.