Shreveport City Council revokes liquor license for grocery store following shooting, drug discovery

SHREVEPORT, La. — The Shreveport City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to revoke the liquor license of a local grocery store following a shooting and reports of illegal drug sales at the business.

R&W Consumers, located on Hollywood Avenue, lost its permit after the Shreveport Police Department reported the store continued selling alcohol even after its permit had been suspended.

“Our alcohol beverage ordinance offices had been dealing with multiple complaints at that location, one of which being they were not permitted to sell and they had been under suspension and continued to sell alcohol,” SPD spokesperson Cpl. Chris Bordelon said.

The store was recently the scene of a shooting in which a worker shot a customer. During the investigation, officers reported finding digital scales, pipes and illegal drugs for sale behind the counter.

An attorney representing the store told the council the issues were an isolated incident caused by a single employee who has since been fired.

“What happened was an unfortunate and isolated incident involving the independent actions of one employee,” the attorney said. “That employee was, in fact, the manager and was likely responsible for some of the other things that were going on in the store, which were not condoned or agreed to by the management.”

Despite the defense, council members voted to revoke the store’s alcohol permit. Under the ruling, the business may reapply for a liquor license in one year.