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Owner of hall sought after early-morning gunfire empties building

By Meagan Engle

Staff Writer

Monday, May 14, 2007

Police said late Sunday night they were trying to identify the owner of a bingo hall where early-morning gunfire caused a crowd of about 300 inside the building to flee.

Meanwhile, neighbors of the Roosevelt Boulevard Bingo Hall, 3244 Roosevelt Blvd., said their home "shakes" because of noise at the facility.

Extras

Police responded to the hall on a report of a loud party at 3 a.m. Sunday. Officers found a large fight inside the building, which had been rented for a private party, said Lt. Rodney Muterspaw.

The crowd — many of whom were minors — rushed the doors and fled into the parking lot after officers heard gunshots inside the building and then a "very loud clicking noise" of a Taser being deployed, Muterspaw said.

An unknown number of people took themselves to Middletown Regional Hospital for unspecified injuries, he said, adding that no arrests have been made as a result of the incident.

The owner of the business has not been identified by police, as the title to the building recently was transferred, Muterspaw said. The owner could be cited in the incident, he said.

Neighbors whose back yards line the hall's parking lot said the loud parties are nothing new.

"Our whole house shakes," said Amy Evans, who lives in a brick house near the business.

Evans said she and her family have been sleeping in the basement of their home on weekends to escape the noise of the late-night parties.

"It just gets loud on Saturday nights," she said Sunday as her young daughter teetered on her toes in the doorway of their house.

Evans and neighbor Kevin Powell said the parties, which began about one year ago and usually last until 3 a.m., have been recently been "mellow."

"That's the biggest problem they've had in two to three months. I've seen incidents, but they've pretty much self-controlled it," Powell said.

Powell said he was not disturbed by the crowd Sunday morning because he has grown used to the weekend noise.

Sunday morning's disturbance required mutual aid from the Warren County and Butler County sheriff's offices, and the Franklin, Trenton and Monroe police departments.

It took 30 minutes to disperse the crowd. Beer cans and bottles were found throughout the parking lot and inside the hall. Marijuana residue was also found in the hall, Muterspaw said.

Police have not determined how many people were injured or what injuries they sustained.

Two Middletown officers who first responded to the scene secured the building, he said.

"At that point you want to get everyone out of there and make sure no one gets shot at, not make arrests," Muterspaw said.

An investigation into the gunshots is ongoing, he said.

No one answered a call Sunday to the hall and no one was available at the building, which has rows of rectangle tables and chairs inside and sign reading "No one under 18."

The business offers bingo games Thursday and Friday beginning at 6:30 p.m., according to a sign posted on the front of the building.

Among many other rules, Middletown's gambling ordinance states that bingo sessions may not be held between midnight and 10 a.m., and no more than two bingo sessions may be held in any seven-day period.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2551 or mengle@coxohio.com.

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