OLD FORGE, Pa. — It was in the early hours of Sunday morning that Dan Chegko was awakened after police say a man shot 34-year-old Khayree Abdurruzzaq, of Plymouth, once in the back in the shared parking lot of Club VIP and the Diamond Club along North Keyser Avene in Old Forge.
Abdurruzzaq later died at the hospital.
"I would say if they are going to be there, make it safe for the people that live around here," said Dan Chegko, Old Forge.
This is the second shooting to happen outside of the two businesses in the last year.
On New Year's Day, police say Jordan Allen of Wilkes-Barre fired shots in the parking lot as his ex-girlfriend was walking to a car.
The shooting victim was in another vehicle when hit by the gunfire.
Allen was later arrested and charged with aggravated assault.
In published reports, the owners of both Club VIP and the Diamond Club were denied by the borough council for a liquor license that would've seen both locations closed, and a new bar, restaurant, and skill game area take its place.
"It's going to happen, you know it's just the way the people that go there are. The borough, I think, screwed up. They had a chance to get rid of it," said Larry Rubal, Old Forge.
Larry Rubal says the location seems to bring in crowds from outside the local community.
While a shooting not too far away from his house isn't the best news, Rubal doesn't feel unsafe.
"It doesn't bother me that much; it is its own area, basically. They don't come up here. We don't go down there, so it's even keel, I guess."
The deadly shooting remains under investigation by state police.
Newswatch 16 reached out to the borough council for comment, but they did not respond.
In a post to their social media, the owners of the Diamond Club say Club VIP will be closed permanently.