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Source: New Haven Register, Conn.迷你倉Oct. 27--NEW HAVEN -- One woman is dead, one person is listed in critical condition and four are being treated for injuries after a shooting at the Key Club Cabaret at 85 Saint John St. early Saturday.The shooting occurred about 3:30 a.m. and claimed the life of Erica Robinson, 26, of West Haven. She had a job as a fashion designer, said Mayor John DeStefano Jr.Also shot were Jahad Brumsey, 29, of New Haven, who is listed in critical condition; and Amanda John, 19, Ivette Sterling, 25, Nijia Ward, 24, and Albert Dickerson, 34, all of New Haven."We have this captured on video; this investigation is moving very rapidly," said Police Chief Dean Esserman. "The victim was not the intended target; we believe we know who the intended target is."The Key Club is offering a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the shootings, according to the club's Facebook page."It has to stop. When you think the violence has died down, I'm proven wrong again," said Nakia Dawson, 34, founder of Bereavement Care Network."It's not going to take me or one organization to stop this, everyone has to be a part and we all need to come together -- this is our community -- if we want the violence to stop." Dawson said. "BCN sends our prayers to the six of the families that were apart of this vicious act of violence."It is the city's 16th homicide of the year. Updated conditions of the other victims were not immediately available."My heart is continuously grieved as a result of the homicides and shootings our community is experiencing and especially for those who are victims, perpetrators, and those of their family and friends who have to pick up the pieces and go on," said the Rev. William Mathis, who is involved in the city's Project Longevity initiative to combat violence. "In my humble opinion, the homicides and shootings should challenge us as individuals and community to reflect on how is this possible and why is it so, especially why has it been consistent, almost a way of life."As any process of reflection should begin that leads to recovery, it demands honesty with ourselves as well as the sharing of ownership of the issue," he said.Saturday morning's slaying also is the fourth club-related killing. DeStefano said in his 20 years as mayor he has never seen such a high percentage of club-related homicides.He called on the General Assembly at a press conference Saturday to adopt wide reforms to target the violence seen in and around nightclubs across cities."It's curious to me in this state we stand on our high horse and say ... 'After Sandy Hook we should be banning all these assault weapons and such.' True enough," DeStefano said. "But it seems to me after these kinds of incidents, you know, look in the mirror in Connecticut and take action to save lives."Gov. Dannel P. Malloy also was on hand for the press conference. He expressed his condolences to the victims' families and said he will work with DeStefano and the legislature on some of the proposals."As a former mayor myself for 14 years I absolutely agree with almost everything the mayor has said," Malloy said.DeStefano made a wide range of proposals that are likely to raise the ire of many liquor establishments across the state.He proposed several measures, many of which would have to be adopted by the legislature, including:--Cities being able to levy fees for nightclubs in a district where heavy police presence is required.--Mandating that private security at nightclubs be licensed and trained by the Police Department.--The ability of a city to sign off on licenses for clubs.--Reviewing the "mosaic" of different liquor licenses to see whether the state should simplify them.Michael Lawlor, undersecretary for criminal justice policy and planning, said many of DeStefano's proposals make sense and have been proposed before to the state legislature. Even so, getting them passed could be a daunting task."The mayor makes valid points and the governor supports them," he said. "Getting it through the legislature won't be easy."DeStefano's term as mayor will be up before the start of next year's legislative session. He said it would be common sense for his successor to push for the same proposals.Mayoral candidates sound offAlderman Justin Elicker and state Sen. Toni Harp, both running to replace DeStefano, said they think all of DeStefano's proposals are good ideas.Harp said the city should sit down with club owners and get agreements on some of DeStefano's proposals now instead of waiting for the legislative session to begin in February. The cost of life and city resources is too great to wait, she said."We can sit down with the club owners and get them to agree to have training for security officers," Harp said. "I can't imagine why they would be opposed to do that."Another option would be to look at city ordinances on closing times. Harp said the city gains nothing by allowing clubs to stay open past 1 or 2 a.m.When it comes to the state level, Harp said she is confident she has the experience to get new laws passed."I think that I have the connections to get it heard and get it done, if not for all towns in Connecticut, certainly a special act for New Haven," she said. "I'm positive that can get done, but before we do that, I think we can get it done informally with the caf? and club owners."She also said regular code enforcement by the Livable City Initiative, fire marshal's office and other agencies should be enforced.Elicker said it is indisputable that there is a connection between some nightclubs and deadly violence. The Police Department has been doing the best it can, but in the end its hands are tied by state laws, he said.A number of DeStefano's proposals have failed at the state legislative level for years. "Current folks at the Capitol haven't used relationships effectively," Elicker said.Getting a law passed at the state level would take alliances with other municipalities that would stand to benefit."The current mayor hasn't had the best relationship with the governor, the New Haven (state legislative) delegation and surrounding towns," Elicker said. "Being respectful and positive with all stakeholders would be much more effective."The city generally has put forth its own proposals at the state level with little or no engagement of residents or even the Board of Aldermenself storage he said. As mayor, he would work on that engagement. Not only would it help residents form policy, but it would also improve its chances of passing by getting people to advocate at the Capitol.Timing is also key for state law changes, Elicker said."You have to try every year until it passes," he said. "I think the Newtown incident made a political climate for Connecticut to pass strict gun-control laws. Incidents like last night are deeply unfortunate, but they present an opportunity to implement changes at the state level."How the shooting unfoldedA New Haven officer was outside the club at the corner of Hamilton Street about 3:30 a.m. when he heard gunfire coming from inside.Police Officer David Hartman said the officer rushed in as more than 100 patrons rushed out the club's main doorway. Several other officers nearby arrived on the scene within seconds.Six gunshot victims were located within the club's after-hours area, and Hartman said all available officers, along with firefighters and EMTs from the New Haven Fire Department, were dispatched. Ambulances were summoned to take the victims to area hospitals.The area of the club that was open to the public had a "bring-your-own-alcohol policy," Hartman said. The interior was littered with drug paraphernalia, drug packaging and had a strong odor of marijuana, he said. Club owners John Bertini and Peter Forchetti were not at the property during the shootings.The club's caberet permit is allowed to host after-hour events without a permit as long as the establishment doesn't serve alcohol, DeStefano said. State law prevents establishments from selling liquor after 2 a.m. on weekends.Assistant Chief Archie Generoso said the after-hour events are often a "recipe for disaster."Groups that have a propensity for violence often claim a club as their own and other groups know not to go there in order to avoid confrontations, he said. Howver, those groups may migrate to the same after-hoursevent after most clubs close down for the night.Intoxication and flare-ups between groups at those after-hours events can spell trouble for bystanders. It's not yet known whether that was the case for Saturday's shootings, he said."There is an unregulated part of the law that permits underage people to come in," DeStefano said.Malloy echoed DeStefano's concern about those under the age of 21 being allowed to be near alcohol."Certainly these types of clubs are extremely dangerous," Malloy said. "I'll go a step further: There is no reason to have under-age people allowed at these clubs after the normal closing hour of a restaurant establishment."The governor said he has seen late-night situations play out badly in Hartford. He suggested that parents discourage their children from going to after-hours events.Laws failed and laws in other statesConnecticut wouldn't be the first state to regulate who can provide security at a bar or nightclub. California refreshed its laws in 2011 so that bouncers, formally known as proprietary security officers, need at least 16 hours of training a year to maintain their license, according to an ABC 30 report.New York City adopted a law in 2006 that gives city officials the power to shut down a nightclub that doesn't comply with mandatory background checks of bouncers, according to a NY 1 report.Legislators from New Haven and other parts of the state introduced a bill in 2011 that would allow municipalities to designate entertainment districts and levy charges for certain establishments. The bill went as far as a public hearing, according to the state's legislative website.New Haven was the site of a pilot program in the state that allows the Police Department to weigh in with comments in writing to the state Department of Consumer Protection when an establishment applies for a liquor permit renewal. The program was extended to June 30, 2014, this past May.Recent downtown violenceThis year, four out of 16 homicides and 10 of the city's 58 non-fatal shootings have been club-related, DeStefano said. Saturday's five non-fatal shooting victims were among the 10."To not see the connection here with the clubs is to misunderstand what is happening," he said.Two of the four homicides occurred inside a club. A Waterbury man was shot and killed while inside the Cheetah Club on East Street in August.Eric Forbes, 33, of Hamden was shot outside the Taurus Club on March 30. He was later pronounced dead at Yale-New Haven Hospital.Tyrell Drew, 21, was shot May 18 near College and Crown streets along with two others. Drew succumbed to his wounds and the other two victims survived.Police arrested Ricardo Myers, 21, of Bridgeport July 12.Drew and a group of men were arguing with another group of men after they exited the Lazy Lizard, according to witness accounts mentioned in a search-and-seizure warrant. Detectives received information that the fight may have started inside the club.One witness identified Myers in surveillance footage from the club.Police beefed up downtown patrols after a particularly violent weekend in September that left a total of three people shot; two of the victims were downtown. A cop was also in close proximity to another gunfire incident downtown, according to police.Police recently launched an investigation after hundreds of teenagers, some unruly, spilled out of Kudeta restaurant on Temple Street after a birthday party.This year isn't the first time violence picked up in the downtown nightclub scene. Police launched Operation Nightlife in 2010 to crack down on downtown nightclubs following a shootout between cops and patrons.What is new is that other types of violence are decreasing while nightclub violence is increasing, DeStefano said. A lot of larger gangs have been dismantled and the city is handling the smaller gangs and groups with a propensity for violence."I would bet you this was over some bit of nonsense," DeStefano said of Saturday's shooting. "We will see."Call Rich Scinto at 203-789-5748. Register Community Engagement Editor Shahid Abdul-Karim and Register reporter Charlotte Adinolfi contributed to this story. Have questions, feedback or ideas about our news coverage? Connect directly with the editors of the New Haven Register at AskTheRegister.com.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the New Haven Register (New Haven, Conn.) Visit the New Haven Register (New Haven, Conn.) at .nhregister.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷利倉