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Jon Collins

Maplewood nightclub to close after shooting

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The Maplewood City Council voted during an emergency meeting on Wednesday morning to close a troubled nightclub that was the scene of a shooting that injured five people last week.

The unanimous vote will close the Stargate Bar and Nightclub until owners meet a long list of requirements related to building code, health code, alcohol service and security. The council will meet on Monday night to consider whether to revoke the club's liquor license.

Police say that the Saturday night shooting started in the club on Rice Street, near Larpenteur Avenue, after a fight broke out. In total, they say more than 60 shots were fired. Five people received injuries that were not life threatening.

Police Chief Paul Schnell said it's lucky that people weren't injured more seriously and that no one was killed. He said an officer at the scene reported a bullet whizzing by his head.

"We are in a position where we don't believe at the immediate time that we're in a position that the business can safely function without considerable investment in security enhancements," Schnell said during the meeting Wednesday. "And we have to address just some basic health and safety factors."

The shooting has created concern across St. Paul and the eastern suburbs, said Maplewood Mayor Nora Slawik.

"The combination of violence, health code violations, fire and safety code violations is something rarely if ever seen in our community," Slawik said. "The time for serious and significant action has come."

Club owner Paul Xiong took over the business last year. After the hearing he said he is not going to fight to keep the club open, but he doesn't want another club to take its place at the location, which city officials say has been a source of trouble for the last 13 years.

"I'm old now. I don't need this headache. I see people shooting outside, it hurt my heart," Xiong said. "I'm a non-violent person."

Maplewood police said Wednesday that the shooting is still an open investigation. No charges have been filed.