Del Denby Tavern must close after shooting

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Del Denby’s Tavern, located on Hertel Avenue in Buffalo, has been closed by the city following a shooting early Tuesday morning that left one man dead.

A cease and desist letter was placed on the building Tuesday afternoon, ordering (the) tavern to be “closed to preserve the peace and good order.”

Tuesday morning’s shooting, which happened around 1 a.m., left a 46-year-old man dead after he was involved in a fight outside the bar. Police said at a news conference Tuesday that they believe the suspected shooter and the victim knew each other and that this was not a random act of violence.

This was not the first act of violence at the bar. In June 2021, a man was hospitalized after a shooting following a disturbance that spilled outside. The person was shot during a large fight.

This is also not the first time that Buffalo police have used their authority to shut down establishments where violence has broken out. Last December, police shut down Club Marcella on Michigan Avenue after four shootings, including one fatality, occurred at the club in less than a year. In 2022, Señor Tequila Mexican Restaurant on Pearl Street was closed following several incidents. In 2018, Groove Lounge on Broadway was closed after a shooting injured two people, including an off-duty Buffalo police officer. A homicide also took place in front of the bar in 2017.

Business operations at Del Denby’s must cease immediately upon ordering.