Missouri Attorney General says Reign Bar response to nuisance claims isn’t ‘satisfactory’

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Attorney General's Office is not satisfied with a Columbia bar's response to alleged nuisance claims.

University of Missouri System President Mun Choi has attributed a hot spot for crime in downtown Columbia to Reign Bar, located at 33 N. Ninth St., since the summer, when there was a large street brawl and a shots-fired call in the area.

Attorney General Catherine Hanaway jumped into the conversation in September with a letter to the bar, demanding that ownership provide a plan with actions it can take to mitigate nuisance conditions.

In late September, the bar's attorney, Jermaine Wooten, responded to the letter to dispute those claims and asked for clarity on what events the office believes are tied to Reign Bar.

"The incidents referenced occurred beyond Reign’s property line and involved patrons of neighboring establishments — not Reign patrons. Describing an event as occurring “directly outside Reign” does not establish that it occurred on Reign-controlled property, involved Reign customers, or resulted from Reign’s conduct," Wooten said in the letter.

During a visit to MU on Thursday, Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said Reign Bar's response wasn't "satisfactory in our estimation" and that ownership didn't want to take responsibility for what happened outside their building.

"We're continuing to do some investigation, and not just of Reign Bar, but of other places that seem to be contributing to the criminal element in downtown Columbia," Hanaway said. "We're very concerned about anything that's a public nuisance, and certainly want to keep students and the public as safe as possible."

Wooten told ABC 17 News over text that he hasn't received a response to his letter from the Attorney General's Office.