Man shot to death at Brooklyn Park bar

Relatives and friends of a 19-year-old man shot and killed on the patio of a Brooklyn Park bar showed up at a police news conference Wednesday afternoon, some angrily asking why the bar can't be shut down.

Romel Jones Jr. was killed and two other men were wounded during a dispute between two groups shortly after midnight Wednesday at Blondie's Sports Bar and Grill.

"Why can't you shut it down?" Jarrett Henderson asked police officials at the City Hall news conference.

Mayor Steve Lampi said later that the City Council needs to get the facts about the shooting to "see what kind of action might be warranted." He said he thought the bar had improved by hiring off-duty police officers on weekends. "I know the bar had a lot of calls for service," he said.

City records show Blondie's, at 7459 Brooklyn Blvd., had 221 calls for service in 2006, 215 in 2007 and 156 so far this year. Assaults and serious threats accounted for 40, 25 and 28 calls, respectively.

That's more by far than any of the dozen or so bars in the northern suburb, said Capt. Greg Roehl. Blondie's security cameras were not working the night of the shooting, he added.

Blondie's owner, Richard Gunderson, did not return phone messages seeking comment.

Gary Brown, city engineer and inspections director, said after the news conference that staff members had talked about closing the bar last year and the need to develop an orderly process for such a punitive action. But the process wasn't created and the issue never reached the City Council, he said.

Police Chief Michael Davis said it's not up to him to close the bar. He said police will review the situation to try to ensure the bar is safe.

Another man suffered a gunshot wound and was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. A third man was assaulted and suffered blunt-force injuries.

Roehl said that police are looking for three or four men seen leaving the bar but that two men were arrested for the assault. The shooting escalated from a dispute between two groups at the bar, but he didn't think the killing was gang-related. It was unclear if Jones was targeted, he said.

Reached by phone in his Chicago area home, Romel Jones Sr. said his son "had begun to turn his life around" after dropping out of high school and getting caught up in gangs when he lived in Chicago.

"He got caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said. "I thought he was at a 21-and-older club. He was only 19. It's unfortunate they allowed him to come in."

Jones had moved from Chicago about a year ago and was living with an aunt about five blocks from the bar. He stopped there with food for his dinner just before midnight Tuesday, shortly before he was shot.

"He gave me the plate and said put my plate in the microwave. I will be right back," said Porsche Hobson, 19, his cousin. His uncle, Irving Hill, said Jones drove over to Blondie's to drop off car keys that belonged to a cousin. Hobson said the cousin called her at 12:18 a.m. and said Jones "was shot on the patio."

Relatives said that Jones had found a temporary warehouse job in Rogers and was about to begin work on his high school equivalency diploma.

Irving Hill said his nephew was a funny, handsome young man and a practical joker whose nickname was "Bullet" because he was fast on his feet.

"He did not go up there to be in no gangs," said his mother, Sabrina Jones. "He was a happy person. I just can't believe it."

Staff writer Tim Harlow contributed to this report. Jim Adams • 612-673-7658