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The City of Denver suspended the alcohol and entertainment licenses at a nightclub after a shooting that killed one person and injured eight others early Monday morning.
Documents provided by the Denver Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection confirm that the Ultra Lounge East nightclub, located at 9755 E. Hampden Ave., had its dance cabaret and liquor licenses pulled, preventing the location from selling alcohol or providing entertainment until the completion of its disciplinary case.
A show cause order has also been issued, ordering the business's representatives to appear in front of a city hearing officer to argue why the club's business licenses should not be suspended and revoked.
Multiple violent incidents are mentioned in the show cause order:
- July 20 deadly shooting
- One person was killed and eight people were injured in a shooting around 12:30 a.m. Monday. The order says a witness reported "security was lax" ahead of the shooting, and that they did not check for weapons before people entered the property. Denver Police recovered 66 shell cases inside the business and on the patio, the order says.
- April 11 assault
- Around 11:11 p.m., a person was removed from the property for being excessively intoxicated. The person indicated they had a gun and tried to fight security at the business, who responded by punching him in the face multiple times, rendering him unconscious at one point, and used pepper spray, according to the order. The person was taken to the hospital with potentially serious injuries, and Denver Police determined the security guards who injured the person were not licensed, the order says.
- March 1 deadly assault
- Around 2:08 a.m., Denver Police officers responded to a report of a man being beaten in the parking lot and discovered the unresponsive victim, who was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead due to his injuries. The order says the business's staff were uncooperative with investigators before closing and locking the doors to the club. Witnesses reported that a fight broke out at the entrance of the club before spilling out into the parking lot.
The order says the business is owned by Dol Bhattari and is licensed as "Yak and Yeti Restaurant and Event Center." However, social media posts made by Dionte Wilkins indicate that he is the owner of the business and has operated it as Ultra Lounge East for more than a year, according to the order. 9NEWS has reached out to Wilkins for comment.
DLCP has obtained information indicating that Bhattari sold and/or subleased the property to Wilkins, but they did not file a transfer of ownership application or notify the state or DLCP of the purchase, the order says.
"Therefore, Mr. Bhattari is knowingly allowing Mr. Wilkins to operate without his own liquor license and remains responsible for all licensing violations, and/or Mr. Wilkins owns the business and is selling alcohol without a liquor license, which is strictly prohibited by Colorado and Denver laws," the order reads. "Either way, Mr. Wilkins is running a nightclub serving alcohol without having properly applied and not having been vetted to confirm that he is allowed to hold a liquor license."
In addition, the business's website and social media pages say that it offers food during dinner service Tuesdays through Saturdays, and brunch on Sundays, but its food license expired in January 2024 and there is no record of an application for a new food license, according to the order.
There are also several social media posts stating "Hookah Available" but the business does not hold a tobacco license, the order says
The business will have the chance to provide evidence and witnesses at the hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. on Sept. 11. After the hearing, the hearing officer will issue a recommended decision to the executive director of the Denver Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, who will make the final decision on the business's licenses.
