Liquor Authority issues emergency suspension for Town of Wallkill bar

ALBANY – The State Liquor Authority has suspended the license of JD’s Sports Bar and Lounge at 360 Route 211E in the Town of Wallkill.
The suspension was ordered by the agency board on Thursday. Effective immediately no alcohol may be sold or consumed on the premises.
The summary suspension is based on reports from Wallkill Town Police
and State Police that on two occasions, on April 15 and 22, fights broke
out at the bar, which led to a stabbing and shooting.
On April 15, Wallkill Police responded to Orange Regional Medical Center for a report of an assault victim being treated for a stab wound. Police went to JD’s Sports Bar and discovered several spots of dried blood directly in front of the bar. Police said the bar’s staff failed to notify authorities of the stabbing incident.
On April 22, a verbal argument inside the bar led to bouncers clearing patrons out onto the parking lot, where the argument escalated into several melees, culminating with one patron shooting another several times. The victim was transported to the hospital.
Police said that two bouncers and a manager present during the shooting failed to notify authorities of the incident.
On May 4, the SLA, local police and Town of Wallkill building inspector conducted a joint inspection of the par with the inspector documenting two fire code violations, while the SLA investigators documents employees being paid off the books, unlicensed bouncers, and alcohol purchased from an area liquor store.
It was later learned that the owner, who now lives out of state, turned the operation over to a manager to run the day to day operations.
On May 16, the SLA charged the sports bar with 12 violations, including two charges for disorderly premises for the stabbing and shooting, failure to exercise supervision, unlicensed bouncers, paying workers off the books, sustained pattern of noise, and for becoming a focal point for police attention.