After a deadly shooting at the District nightclub last weekend, Lafayette Police Chief Thomas Glover sent a letter to the business that they would have to close.

Part of the management team, Danny Smith, says they went to court, and they were granted a temporary restraining order. Smith says after what happened last weekend, Smith contends they have been working with the Lafayette Police Department. He says they negotiated to add twelve more officers at the club that they would pay for.

Smith says violence is unpredictable, and as such, they feel trying to shut down the club is unconstitutional, and a judge agreed to the temporary stay.

Glover sought to shut the club down, saying there is precedence in local law for it. He said in his letter to The District that there is a city ordinance that allowed police to shut down a business if there is "imminent danger to health, safety, and welfare of the public."

Last week 22-year-old DeShawn Batiste was shot to death outside of the club. A security officer was fired at Friday night, and he fired back.  Several neighbors interviewed by our news partners at KATC said they have had issues with this club before because of the noise and other disturbances.

Smith says the club has always tried to be good neighbors and they have sound-proofed their building. They contend they provide more security at their establishment than any other club in Lafayette. They want an open dialogue with the Lafayette Police Department to work on the situation.

The letter sent to us is as follows:

After receiving a letter from the Lafayette Police Chief Thomas Glover, The District management sought judicial relief to stop, what we viewed as illegal and unconstitutional actions being taken against us.  A temporary restraining order was signed, after a hearing, by a district judge to prevent the illegal action being taken against The District.  We have always tried to be good neighbors and community members.  Taking steps to sound proof our building as well as providing more off duty police officers to work security at our events than any other establishments inside the City of Lafayette are just two examples of what we have done to meet that goal.

After the events of last weekend we were actively working with representatives of Lafayette Police Department and agreed to increase the amount of officers at our property from eight, to nine, then ultimately settled on 12.  This was done at our own expense.  No one can accurately predict when or where violence will occur as evident by the shooting that occurred at city hall as well as the Lafayette Police Department just over a month ago.  The best any of us can do is try to adequately prepare for such events by continuing to do our part to prevent such incidents.  

We welcome an open dialogue with Lafayette Consolidated Government’s administration as well as Chief Glover to see how we can work together going forward to not only protect the patrons of The District but to stop the increasing violence as a whole across our community.  

The District Management

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