Late-night operations at bars in the area led to increased violence, with shootings and other incidents occurring in the early morning hours. This created a sense of fear among local residents, who felt unsafe in their own neighborhoods. The situation became so concerning that hundreds of neighbors gathered at a local church to voice their concerns and city officials had to step in to address the issue.
Afrokanza Lounge decided to close its doors due to multiple violations with Louisville Metro ABC and ongoing investigations into late-night violence and complaints from area residents. The lounge had been referred to the city's code enforcement after a shooting in July 2023 and faced allegations of serving alcohol later than their license allowed, inadequate security, and allowing customers to bring guns inside5.
Afrokanza Lounge was found to have multiple violations, including serving alcohol later than their liquor license allowed, inadequate security, and not stopping customers from bringing guns inside. These violations were discovered after a shooting occurred behind the bar in July 2023, which resulted in one person being killed and two others wounded. The lounge was referred to the city's code enforcement along with nearby Café 360.