HUBER HEIGHTS -- Flowers and balloons hang near the blood spilled at the Heat Night Club this weekend. Two men in their 20s are dead, it is something Police Chief Rob Schommer feared.
"This type of event that unfortunately was some of our worst predictions of something that could happen," said the Chief.
After hundreds of calls for service, Police and the city council recommended revoking the Heat's liquor license in April of 2012. The state's Division of Liquor Control agreed, but last December the Liquor Control Commission reversed it - and a court upheld that reversal.
Two neighbors, who wanted to remain anonymous, testified in hopes of getting the Heat shut down.
"It's too dangerous... and it's a shame people are losing their lives over a place like this. This is ridiculous," said the couple looking at the broken glass and the blood-stained pavement outside the club.
We had a crew drive to Columbus to try and talk to the Ohio Liquor Commission. The Executive Director handed us a paper statement, and did not want to talk on camera. It essentially says they regret what happened, but do everything they can to decide each case fairly. The vote was 2-1 back in December. One of those commissioners dissented, and was not available to talk. The other two are out of town.
Now with two deaths, Chief Schommer says the city is once again doing everything it can to stop the bloodshed, inluding filing a nuisance abatement which would temporary lock the Heat's doors. That is expected to be filed on Tuesday, it could not be done fast enough by close of business on Monday.
"Ultimately, the person who held the gun and pulled the trigger is the one responsible for the crime, but we take it very serious to try and prevent opportunities for those types of crimes to occur," said Schommer.