The Empire Lounge in Merriman Valley has been the site of multiple shootings in recent months that have city officials concerned about public safety.

In response to the recent shootings, the city of Akron has announced Empire Lounge's liquor permit will not be renewed and the owner has shut down the business indefinitely while officials determine next steps, Mayor Shammas Malik's office said in a Facebook post on Oct. 15.

In May, 23-year-old Diamond Fisk Jr. was shot and killed in the lounge's parking lot. This past weekend, a 24-year-old woman was unintentionally shot while in the parking lot and subsequently hospitalized

The city's Prosecutor's Office, Economic Development team and Ward 8 Councilman Bruce Bolden received approval from Akron City Council earlier this summer to su

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