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License Commission schedules hearings after multiple ShotSpotter activations, shootings near bars
Summary
Following several late‑night incidents and ShotSpotter activations in March, the License Commission set informational hearings for Mojitos, X Pub and Lamore for May 27 to gather more facts after police reported shootings, occupancy and security‑plan concerns; the commission took no action on a March 8 Rosé disturbance.
The City of Springfield License Commission scheduled informational hearings after police described multiple late‑night incidents at licensed establishments in March, including ShotSpotter activations and at least one person who fired rounds near a business.
Springfield Police told the commission that a March 16 incident at Mojitos Bar & Restaurant involved an ejected individual who returned to the parking lot, fired rounds and left. Police said incidents at the same address have recurred, that they have had difficulty contacting the owner, and that a new 911 call‑tracking system currently provides only a single phone number per incident, hampering investigators’ ability to confirm which callers reported events. Licensing staff and commissioners raised concerns about occupancy limits and whether security staff were cooperative in interviews. The commission voted to schedule an informational hearing for Mojitos on May 27, 2026.
Officer Anderson described a March 27 ShotSpotter activation at X Pub in which a patron allegedly retrieved an AK‑style firearm from his vehicle after being ejected, struck at a locked rear door and fired into the building’s direction before leaving. Commissioners questioned whether staff had called police, whether locking doors while a threat was active could endanger patrons, and whether the establishment complied with its security plan; the commission scheduled an informational hearing for X Pub on May 27.
A March 29 ShotSpotter activation near 109 Chestnut Street (Lamore) led officers to report that a security guard or patron was injured as a vehicle passed and fired into the sidewalk area. Officers said the establishment could not provide required security video and that a guard with a license to carry had rounds missing from his magazine while claiming not to know whether he fired; commissioners voted to schedule an informational hearing for Lamore on May 27.
By contrast, the commission reviewed a March 8 disturbance outside Rosé that resulted in an assaulted patron but for which investigators found no clear link to the establishment; outreach to the victim and owner produced limited response and the commission voted for no action at this time.
Commissioners and staff repeatedly raised one operational concern: the new 911/call‑handling system returns only a single phone number per incident, making it difficult to verify whether and how establishments or bystanders contacted police during an event. Licensing staff said they have raised the issue with the vendor and internal teams and recommended hearings to bring owners in for questioning where incidents are severe or recurring.
"This is becoming an occurrence that I don't like," a police presenter said of Mojitos, urging special attention and additional patrol presence; commissioners responded that bringing owners and managers in for formal informational hearings is appropriate to get answers.
Next steps: informational hearings for Mojitos, X Pub and Lamore are scheduled for May 27, 2026. The commission also scheduled a Section 77 review for Candy Restaurant on June 10, 2026 to examine license activation and unpicked license paperwork.
The commission adjourned at 6:26 p.m.
