Panther Pit padlocked by deputies, DA Zappala hopes it’s shut down for good

PITTSBURGH — Allegheny County Sheriff’s deputies padlocked the Panther Pit in Oakland on Friday and only Channel 11 was there.

The bar has been the repeated target of law enforcement who say it’s been serving kids. District Attorney Stephen Zappala hopes this time, the shutdown sticks.

Pitt students are skeptical that Panther Pit will remain closed after our exclusive video shows sheriff’s deputies, detectives, and police officers made sure no one could get in — and put a judge’s court order on the front door.

The abrupt closure comes after officers served a search warrant Thursday.

According to the DA, Panther Pit operated as an unlicensed speakeasy or bottle club and had been selling or providing alcohol without a liquor license.

Court paperwork says undercover officers were also served alcohol.

“How it worked was, you’d pay $20 at the door and it was free drinks all night. So you had a bunch of irresponsible college students running around everywhere,” Pitt student Max Norcross said.

The complaint goes on to say that police have responded to at least 40 incidents from January 2023 to October 2024.

Some of those calls were for fights, drug use and women who believed their drinks were spiked.

“You’ve got bartenders that have no training in the slightest. And have no real idea what they’re doing. Just servicing kids that 18 years, 19 years, who knows how old anyone was there,” Pitt student Evan Calhoun said.

In the latest court order, Zappala is requesting a hearing within five days so he can try to shut down the bar for good.

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