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Federal Hill neighbors press licensing board over violence linked to Mugshots; board renews license, urges action
Summary
Neighbors told the Board of Liquor License Commissioners that Mugshots’ operations are tied to multiple shootings and late‑night disorder; Mugshots’ counsel said the establishment cooperated with police and had no sustained violations in board records. The board renewed the license while urging community‑licensee cooperation and monitoring.
Federal Hill residents told Baltimore’s liquor board on April 16 that Mugshots, a bar on East Cross Street, has been at the center of repeated public‑safety incidents over the past two years — including assaults and at least two shootings in the neighborhood that neighbors say had a nexus to patrons of the establishment.
Jen Coino, public safety chair of the Federal Hill Neighborhood Association, described a string of incidents dating back to 2024 and through 2025 and into 2026, including homicides and a series of large brawls she said were tied to patrons who had been at Mugshots. "We have had severe concerns around the operations of Mugshots over the past not only several months, but dating back to about 2024," Coino told the board. She said the association had provided photos, video and police case numbers supporting its claims.
Coino and other witnesses also criticized social‑media posts by the establishment showing promotional "pour‑into‑mouth" practices and aggressive promotions the neighbors said encouraged over‑intoxication. "The morning after the homicide back in November of 2025, again, I walked down and checked the blood splatter," she said, describing ongoing trauma for residents.
Mugshots’ counsel, Andrew B. Salor, pushed back on the causal claims and said his clients had cooperated with police, participated in community meetings, registered cameras with a city program, and had no sustained liquor‑board violations in recent records. Salor highlighted that many enforcement calls forwarded to the board had been investigated and found unfounded. He also said the business had recently retained private security and participated in neighborhood initiatives to address outflow at closing.
Board members said they found the protesters’ concerns meaningful but concluded the available evidence did not warrant denial of renewal. The chairman noted the difference between community claims and enforceable findings by city inspectors or the environmental control board. He invited both sides to meet immediately after the hearing and asked board staff to help arrange mediation and follow‑up.
The board’s ruling: renewal appropriate at this time, with a clear admonition that repeated verified violations would lead to enforcement action.
Why it matters: Coino and other community members say the protest is part of a broader effort to hold night‑life venues in the entertainment district accountable for operations that spill disorder into residential blocks. The board’s decision preserves the license but places the burden on neighbors and inspectors to document future violations; the board signaled it will act if substantiated violations recur.
Next steps: The board asked staff to facilitate talks between the neighborhood association and Mugshots; residents said they will continue to collect evidence and to report incidents to inspectors and police.
