Del Denby Tavern ordered to close following shooting
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Del Denby Tavern, located on Hertel Avenue in Buffalo, has been closed by the city following a shooting early Tuesday morning that left a man dead.
A cease and desist letter was placed on the building on Tuesday afternoon, ordering the "closing of [the] tavern in preservation of peace and good order."
Tuesday morning's shooting, which occurred around 1 a.m., left a 46-year-old male dead after he was involved in a fight on the front patio outside of the bar. Police said in a news conference on Tuesday that they believe the alleged shooter and the victim were known to each other, and this was not a random act of violence.
"These situations, as we've seen can happen anywhere. One big takeaway is that they were known to each other. This is not a random act," chief of detectives Craig Macy said.
Police said the bar did not have security working at the time of the incident.
News 4 talked to bar owner John Daly hours before the bar was ordered to shut down. He said his heart goes out to the victim's family.
"There's gun violence everywhere and it's just a shame. People need to respect each other," he said. "It's just terrible and senseless."
This was not the first act of violence at the bar. In June 2021, a man was hospitalized after a shooting as a result of a disturbance that spilled outside. The person was shot during a large fight.
This is also not the first time Buffalo police have used their authority to close establishments were violence has broken out. Last December, police closed down Club Marcella on Michigan Avenue after four shootings, one of which was fatal, occurred at the club in less than a year. In 2022, Señor Tequila Mexican Restaurant on Pearl Street was closed following multiple incidents. In 2018, Groove Lounge on Broadway was closed after a shooting injured two people, including an off-duty Buffalo Police officer. A homicide had occurred outside the bar in 2017 as well.
Business operations at Del Denby's will have to stop immediately following the order.
Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here.