Carson City Saloon temporarily closing in response to recent shootings, violence

PITTSBURGH — Carson City Saloon in Pittsburgh’s South Side is temporarily closing in response to recent shootings and violence.

According to a social media post by the sports bar, the decision was made for the safety of staff and customers.

“After Saturday’s three shootings and the careless activity that continues to go unchecked on Carson Street, we have decided it’s best to shutter our doors until some action is taken by city leaders to support our desire to return the South Side to a safe and prosperous neighborhood and nightlife district,” the post reads.

The bar is referring, at least in part, to a deadly shooting overnight Sunday in which a man in his 30s died after being shot near the intersection of South 13th Street and Carson.

“I feel like it’s kind of a good thing and a responsible move for a business owner in South Side because it definitely draws attention to the more important things that are going on,” said Geno DeBlasio of Pittsburgh.

Carson City Saloon hopes to reopen in mid-August to kick off football season.

Other Carson Street business owners say the sound of gunshots has become far too common.

“I know my customers don’t go below Eighteenth Street. They go across the bridge. They avoid Twelfth to Eighteenth Street all the time,” said Rich Cupka, owner of Cupka’s 2 Café. “The crowds take over the streets, like in Seattle. The city can’t control it.”

Cupka said there have been many meetings with officials during which “promises were made to stop the violence.”

Cupka wants to see action, telling Channel 11 that the city needs to bring in outside reinforcement from the county or state until police staffing numbers are where they need to be.

“We need to hire more cops. We need probably about 400 to 500 more cops in the next three years, and that will start to turn the table,” Cupka said. “It’s jeopardizing their lives, the lives of the people in South Side, everything…it’s ruining everything, this violence.”

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