RENTON, Wash. — Wilted flowers and balloons mark the spot where 27-year-old Ricky Lak was gunned down outside the Homerun Restaurant and Lounge last Saturday.
Renton's mayor said there's been a pattern of serious violence outside the business.
“I think it’s a formula for disaster,” said Denis Law.
The mayor has written the Washington State Liquor Control Board, asking it to revoke the Homerun's liquor license.
He said there have been three shootings this year and eight since 2012.
Police have answered 215 calls at the business on Airport Way during the past 2 1/2 years.
Complaints have included loud noises, disorderly conduct, and assaults.
“We have many, many, many restaurants and bars throughout the city that never come anywhere close to numbers of that nature,” the mayor said.
“It’s a danger to the community and our citizens shouldn’t have to live under that,” said Renton’s Police Chief Kevin Milosevich.
The Homerun’s general manager feels the city is going too far.
“I think it’s absurd,” Denise Anderson said. She said the murder victim was found in a city alley, not on Homerun property.
As for the other incidents, Homerun’s owner, Dave Anderson, said, “We try to control what happens inside, this why we’ve got good security, but we can’t control what happens outside, no more than the police can control the streets.”
The Andersons said they've been picked on by the city since they opened, perhaps because they are black.
“There are certain people in this community right here that don’t want us here, never wanted us here,” said Anderson.
Law said he didn't even know that the Homerun’s owner was African- American until KIRO 7 told him. He added, “This is a "behavioral issue, it's not a race issue."
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