LUBBOCK, Texas– The owners of Level Nightclub, located at 1928 Buddy Holly Avenue, agreed to cancel their permit after a TABC investigation began when two people were shot during an altercation inside the club, according to TABC.
TABC spokesman Chris Porter said in a news release Friday that TABC initially suspended the club’s liquor license for seven days immediately following the deadly shooting.
In ordering the cancellation of the night club’s permit, TABC said they were going to “revoke the permit of a business operating in a place or manner which could risk public health, safety or welfare.”
Read the full release below:
AUSTIN – A popular Lubbock nightclub has lost its license to sell alcohol following a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission investigation into a deadly shooting that left two people dead on New Year’s Day.
The owners of Level Nightclub, 1928 Buddy Holly Ave., have agreed to the cancellation of their permit following the TABC investigation, which began shortly after midnight on Jan. 1. According to police, two people were shot following an altercation inside the club. Both victims died from their injuries.
TABC initially suspended the club’s liquor license for seven days immediately following the shooting, with a longer 90-day suspension beginning on Jan. 10. The latest action permanently cancels the club’s liquor license, denying its ability to sell alcoholic beverages. It is unknown if the club will re-open.
“TABC’s first responsibility is to ensure public safety, and we will take strong action to ensure that any business licensed by the agency does not present a threat to the health and well-being of its community,” TABC Executive Director Bentley Nettles said. “This agency is committed to working with our alcohol retailers and our local public safety partners to help keep our neighborhoods safe for all Texans.”
The TABC order cancels Level Nightclub’s permit under Section 11.61 (b)(7) of the Alcoholic Beverage Code, which authorizes TABC to revoke the permit of a business operating in a place or manner which could risk public health, safety or welfare. The closure order does not assign liability for the murders, which remain under investigation by the Lubbock Police Department.
For more information about TABC, visit www.tabc.texas.gov.
RELATED STORY: LPD releases new details concerning deadly shooting at Level Nightclub
RELATED STORY: Level Nightclub the first bar in Texas to be shut down for 90 days
