PROVIDENCE – VL Restaurant and Lounge on Federal Hill is temporarily closed following a weekend stabbing on the premises.
The decision to close for at least 72 hours was made during an emergency Board of Licenses meeting on March 9, WJAR-TV NBC 10 reported.
Police responded to the club on March 9 after a 37-year-old man, identified as Charles O’Donnell, received treatment for a stab wound at Hasbro Children's Hospital. Two other victims also received treatment for injuries.
"The information that was received from the victims, it appeared the incident occurred the inside the establishment," Det. Ludwig Castro of Providence Police told WJAR.
A surveillance video showed a disturbance in the club between two groups. They were soon kicked out by staff, but police said no one called 9-1-1. The owner, Victor Silva, claimed he didn't know anyone was stabbed and police are still investigating the incident.
VL Restaurant and Lounge had to temporarily close last year after a brawl spilled out onto the streets of Federal Hill on Mother's Day.
Rick Simone, president of the Federal Hill Commerce Association, supports the 72-hour closure by the board of licenses.
"We have over 54 license holders and to have one or two places where this occurs, that is not what I want to perceive as a common thing for Federal Hill," Simone told WJAR. He added he's been working with the city to create an app so local businesses owners let each other know about any problems they have encountered.