Guns blazed at Club Blaze, Richland’s sheriff said as he chained it up and shut it down

Bullets flying, fights and holdups in recent months have made Club Blaze a frightening “menace” for business and residential neighbors, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said, so he took the only action he said he could — he shut it down.

“The last thing we want to do is close down legitimate businesses — we aren’t going to do that,” Lott said at a press conference Thursday afternoon as he stood in front of the one-story Club Blaze on 7720 Claudia Drive off Parkland Road.

The club — also known as “My Place” — is a block from Columbia Place Mall and between Two Notch Road and I-20.

“What we are going to close down are places that are nuisances to the community and are threats to the people that come to the club and spread to the community,” Lott said.

“This community has screamed loud and clear about what they wanted to have happen,” Lott said. “Over the last 10 months, we have responded numerous times.”

To dramatize the closure — a rare action in business-friendly South Carolina — Lott let television cameras film him and a deputy as they wrapped a heavy metal chain around Club Blaze’s front doors so no one can enter. Lott then snapped a padlock shut. Deputies also posted public notices on the door saying that the club has been shut down.

In the last week, neighbors reported hearing gunshots from the club, and in late July, State Law Enforcement Division agents cited the club for a number of violations.

But the worst one that “pushed it over the top” was on July 5, when someone from the club fired their gun towards a nearby residential area, Lott said. However, no one has been killed there, he said.

“We had a house in this neighborhood where two bullet holes were in the headboard of a lady’s bed while she was home, while she was sleeping, that came from this location,” Lott said. “That was when the community said, ‘You have really got to do something about it.’ ”

Lott said the club owner — whom he did not identify — didn’t get any advance warning of the shutdown. If the owner wants to contest the closure, he has the right to appeal the matter to magistrate’s court, Lott said.

“At that time, we’ll present the evidence that we’ve got, and he can present his evidence. But I think we are probably past the point of no return,” Lott said. In recent months, he has tried to work with the owner to stop the shootings without success, he said.

“There is no doubt in my mind this community feels safer. ... They can sleep on the weekends and not worry about bullets coming in their house and hitting them while they’re sleeping,” Lott said.

Not everyone disliked Club Blaze, also known as My Place. “They are open when others aren’t. ... The drinks are (as) strong as other bars. The DJ’s are awesome on Fridays and Saturdays. A good place to hang out and drink. Glad they got security on weekends,” wrote one reviewer on social media who gave it five stars.

But on Sheriff Lott’s Facebook page, dozens of people applauded his action.

“Way to go RCSD!! Showing them and the community resident’s, that you’re not playing games!!” said a typical comment.

This story was originally published August 27, 2020 at 4:58 PM.