Malone said today in a phone interview that attempts to reach the bar owners to coordinate a voluntary closure were unsuccessful yesterday. She said licensing officials were concerned after seeing initial reports of the incident.
“Obviously, seven people stabbed in a bar is an issue ... for public safety in the city of Boston,” Malone said.
Police have said that besides the bouncer, who was seriously injured after being stabbed in the leg near the femoral artery, the other six victims suffered less severe stab wounds in the melee. Some victims took themselves to the hospital, police said.
Malone said her office has issued several warnings to Ups N’ Downs at 469 Neponset Ave. in the past, mainly for issues involving patrons getting into fights outside as they were leaving.
“It’s not a premises that is routinely in front of my board” for safety issues, she said.
A manager at Ups N’ Downs, who asked that his name not be printed, said today by phone that the bar is generally safe.
“How can you last in a place 53 years without having a safe place?” he said.
The manager said he did not know what caused the fight. He said the bouncer, who he would not identify, is doing well. He did not know if he was still in the hospital.
A police spokesman had no information the bouncer’s condition today and said no arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
After a hearing last month, the Licensing Board found that the bar committed no violations in connection to an incident on Nov. 5 at about 1:50 a.m., when a large fight broke out in the parking lot next to the establishment.
A bar manager said during the hearing that staff had been taking steps to maintain safety, including keeping patron numbers in the upstairs bar below capacity.
