3 Men Charged In Shooting That Closed Western New York Nightclub

In the early morning hours on Sunday, December 3, 2023, the Buffalo Police Department responded to reports of shots fired inside a Buffalo Nightclub. When they arrived at Club Marcella, located at 106 Michigan Avenue in downtown Buffalo, the found one who had been shot in the club's bathroom. The victim, a 30-year-old man from Buffalo, was taken to the Erie County Medical Center with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. He's been since released from the hospital and is in stable condition.

Since the shooting, investigators from the Buffalo Police Department and Erie County District Attorney's office have been able to identify and subsequently arrest three suspects in the shooting.

Ramon Lopez, Yeramell Benitez, and James Pardo, all from Buffalo, have been arrested, charged, and prosecuted in court in connection to the shooting.

Lopez, Benitez, and Pardo were all charged with First Degree Gang Assault, which is a Class B Felony, and are accused of participating in a group assault against the victim, who was eventually shot. All three men are being held at the Erie County Holding Center until they return to court later this week for a felony hearing.

What's Happened To Club Marcella Since The Shooting

The shooting that happened on December 3, 2023, was the 4th shooting incident that has happened at the club in 2023. In addition to the four shootings, Buffalo Police officials have said that there have been 45 emergency calls to the club this year. Because of this, along with other issues, the City of Buffalo issued an emergency order to close the nightclub.

The closure notice, taped to the club's door later in the evening on Sunday, December 3rd, forces the entertainment venue to shut down its operations indefinitely.

City regulations allow the club to have an administrative hearing with city officials within 60 days of the club being closed to determine if it can reopen. If the club and city cannot reach an agreement, the club has the option to file a lawsuit in New York Supreme Court like other clubs have in the past.

5 Nightclubs Western New York Would Love To See Come Back

For years, Buffalo has had many unique and unforgettable spots to party at, and with Erie County having a 4 a.m. last call time, along with our proximity to Toronto, WNY has had the benefit of a very active nightlife for many years.

Gallery Credit: Ed Nice