3 July 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan says he is going to suspend the entertainment license for City Nightz, the nightclub where nine people were shot early Sunday morning.
The police chief said that the club claimed it was using wands to detect if customers were trying to get in with weapons, but he says they did not wand rapper Mozzy or Mozzy’s entourage. Mozzy had performed at a different Wichita venue that night before going to City Nightz.
“We know that when the entertainer arrived, no one in his party was wanded … and were able to get inside the club,” Sullivan said.
KSN News asked if Mozzy or anyone in Mozzy’s party is under investigation for the shooting.
“Theoretically, anyone who was inside that club is part of the investigation,” Sullivan said. “But at this time, there are no charges pending against anyone else in his party.”
Sullivan said he plans to suspend the City Nightz license for 30 days and wants to make it even longer if possible.
“I can tell you that I’m going to use every legal means that I can to make sure that they do not reopen for a long time, and if they should ever reopen, that it’s with the proper management and with the proper guidelines,” Sullivan said. “And I’m going to make sure that I have the authority to make spot checks inside that establishment.”
He has given the club five days’ notice in case the club owner wants to appeal the decision.
The police chief said the Wichita Police Department and the City of Wichita’s legal staff are looking at all the city regulations involving Old Town and other entertainment establishments across the City.
“We’ve got to make sure they have more bite, and they give me the ability to take immediate action when we have some type of incident,” Sullivan said.
He said the WPD also contacted state alcohol licensing officials for their input on City Nightz.
“We have received feedback from the association that represents the majority of the club owners down there (Old Town), and they’re very upset about this,” Sullivan said. “I think it’s a call to action on their part as well to understand that this could have been any club down there.”
“This is going to impact … it already has, people’s perception of our city and I take great offense to that,” the chief said. “I’m getting calls from around the country, and that’s not the type of thing I want to get calls for.”
“It’s impacting Old Town,” he said. “Old Town should be a place where people in Wichita should be able to go and enjoy themselves, bring their families, feel safe, to be able to relax and forget the troubles of everyday life and have a good time and now you can’t do that without worrying about whether or not a shooting’s going to break out. That’s a really sad statement, and it really doesn’t reflect our city.”
KSN News has attempted to contact City Nightz for a response. We have not heard back yet.