ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Starting this weekend, no one under the age of 21 will be able to come to Rochester’s East End entertainment district. The announcement comes after a man was shot nearby Sunday morning.

This is part of the gun violence emergency order enacted in 2021 amid a surge in shootings. Mayor Malik Evans said Thursday that overall, gun violence has gone down in Rochester. However, he said public perception is that some places are unsafe, like the East End, which is home to several bars and restaurants.

Watch the full press conference below:

Police Chief David Smith said the East End “continues to be a problem.” The emergency order gives the mayor the ability to do things like make a business close early or bring in state police to help.

“If you’re going to the entertainment district, you should be going to have a good time, not because you want to go and wreak havoc. One person ruins it for everybody else. And we’re tired of it. We want we want people to be able to go out to the bars and clubs and have a good time and not have one or two people come in there, wreaking havoc,” Evans said.

He says the declaration is a useful tool in high risk areas like the entertainment district to hold property owners accountable to violence. The mayor says he knows this may be an inconvenience but that the city needs to send a message that violence has no place here.

A security guard was shot at J.D. Oxford’s Pub on Monroe Avenue just hours before Mayor Malik Evans’ pre-planned press conference on crime.

Police say the security guard is expected to be okay and that they’re still looking for the suspect.

Mayor Evans placed a lot of emphasis on the suspect. He said people who disrupt others’ good time and safety in public places need to be held accountable.

Antonina asked the mayor if he’s going to apply this to J.D. Oxford’s.

“We will be addressing JD Oxford’s. Obviously, there are things that we want to see there as it relates to security. Again, again, that just happened last night. But it’s just something that we can’t accept. And it’s unfortunate that individuals, instead of having a good time at a bar, raising their glass and celebrating, they decide to pull out a firearm and unfortunately, in this incident, this was an individual doing their job trying to break up a fight and someone decided to pull out a firearm,” Mayor Evans said.

The city has closed nine businesses this year using the emergency order. That’s the last step. Before it gets to that point, it works with the owner on steps like changing hours and hiring more security.

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