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New York State Liquor Authority suspends Casa Di Francesca’s liquor license

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Posted at 6:01 PM, Jul 01, 2022
and last updated 2022-07-01 18:01:26-04

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The New York State Liquor Authority has suspended Casa Di Francesca’s liquor license.

Effective immediately, no alcohol may be sold or consumed on the premises at 2022 Seneca Street.

The SLA said the suspension follows reports from Buffalo police of "violent incidents emanating from inside the establishment."

According to a release, on June 25 police responded to the location for a report of shots fired from the patio bar and six 9mm shell casings were recovered.

The June 25th incident is the most recent in a pattern of violence at the establishment. The BPD have indicated that the premises is a drain on police resources and that violence associated with the operation of the licensed premise and/or the conduct of its patrons have been escalating over the last three months, including in 6 out of the last 8 weekends. This recent pattern appears to have resulted from the licensee’s decision to unlawfully turn its restaurant into a nightclub after hours, violating multiple restrictions on its license. Troublingly, the licensee also employs, off the books, his minor children, allowing at least one to serve and handle alcohol without adult supervision. The troubling conduct has continued even after local law enforcement asked the business’s owner to close earlier and take other steps to stem the violence, requests that the owner has ignored.
- New York State Liquor Authority

Casa Di Francesca's was charged with 12 violations of the of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law.

“It is clear that there has been a troubling upward trajectory in not only the frequency, but the severity of these incidents. The SLA has an obligation to ensure this violence does not continue, and this emergency suspension should serve as a message that this agency will not hesitate to take immediate action when there is a threat to public safety.”
- SLA Chairman Vincent Bradley