Alcohol board denies Patron Saint renewal after on‑duty security shooting and repeated disturbance reports

The Marion County Alcoholic Beverage Board voted on June 1 to deny the renewal for the Patron Saint, a downtown nightclub, after hearing testimony that an on‑duty security employee shot two people during a September altercation.

Detective Tiffany Harrison of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department told the board the case file showed "the security guard pulled out a firearm … The security guard shot into the ground, then raised his gun up, and fired again, hitting both girls." Harrison read multiple incident reports the board described as showing a pattern of fights, trespasses and disorderly conduct tied to the premises.

Patron Saint counsel Clark Kirkman and the venue’s owners acknowledged the shooting and other incidents but said the business has taken extensive remedial steps. Kirkman said the venue had implemented additional training, hired and retrained security, installed ID scanners, reduced capacity and cut late‑night hours. He also described a new peer‑bar ban‑list initiative the owners have begun to pilot with several downtown venues to share problem‑person information.

Owners and managers stressed cooperation with law enforcement after the shooting and pointed to a settlement with the state’s prosecutor that required suspension days and a civil penalty. "We have done everything we believe possible to make sure something like that never happens again," said one owner, describing new de‑escalation and Safe Bar Network training for staff.

But several board members said those changes came after a string of incidents that showed insufficient prior oversight. One board member said the records showed a failure to screen or monitor security staff: "You had a man working the front door for 10 months who had firearms‑related convictions and federal probation—no one noticed. That is unacceptable," the member said.

With the board split in the public meeting, a motion to deny carried after members who said they could not reconcile the severity of the September shooting and related incidents with continued licensure voted in favor. The board recorded the denial as based on public nuisance and allowing criminal acts to occur on the permit premises. The board noted the decision could be revisited only if new, verifiable information was presented at a subsequent hearing.

The venue said it will consult legal counsel and its insurer about next steps. Detective Harrison said police will continue to work with downtown businesses and the board on public‑safety issues.