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What it means: Tyler Austin reinstated, optioned to SWB RailRiders

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Hardee’s in Wilkes-Barre Township opens tomorrow

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Shots rang out once again outside the Passion Lounge early Sunday, leaving one person injured and officials looking at how to address the ongoing issues at the city nightclub.</p><p>Police say they received reports around 5 a.m. for a possible gunshot victim and multiple shots fired outside the club in the 500 block of Scott Street.</p><p>Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis confirmed a victim in the shooting, but declined to provide additional details.</p><p>It is the third reported shooting at the same property in less than two years.</p><p>Salavantis said she has been in discussions with Wilkes-Barre Police Chief Marcella Lendacky about the variety of incidents that have taken place at the establishment.</p><p>In an emailed statement, Mayor Tony George&#8217;s office indicated he also has been in touch with Lendacky following the recent gunplay.</p><p>Salavantis called the frequency of shootings at the lounge &#8220;frustrating,&#8221; adding they tend to occur due to the patrons who visit.</p><p>Salavantis added that at other similar establishments throughout Luzerne County, owners have sought help from law enforcement to prevent potentially violent incidents from occurring.</p><p>&#8220;It just doesn&#8217;t seem like it&#8217;s happening at this place,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Club owner Eyhab Matari, however, told a different story.</p><p>Matari explained there are usually up to 14 security officers inside the club, some of which he said are off-duty police officers.</p><p>He added the most recent shooting happened an hour after his club closed at 4 a.m.</p><p>&#8220;The thing is, we can&#8217;t control what happens outside,&#8221; he said.</p><p>In a post on the club&#8217;s Facebook page, management said the safety of customers has been a priority, and will remain so moving forward.</p><p>The post also indicates the establishment will work with law enforcement.</p><p>Officer Joseph Barrens of the State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement said the lounge has been operating on a temporary liquor license.</p><p>Sean Kelly, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, said a license renewal is pending.</p><p>The LCB&#8217;s website indicates Passion has had a number of violations. The most recent one &#8212; in a complaint filed Dec. 2 and closed March 9 &#8212; was due to management failing to complete training within 180 days of the board&#8217;s approval, resulting in a $250 fine.</p><p>Officials at the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department could not be reached for comment about Sunday&#8217;s shooting.</p><p><strong>Previous incidents</strong></p><p>The weekend incident only adds to the club&#8217;s troubled reputation.</p><p>Event promoter Ronald Drayton was initially charged with shooting Marcese Cloward Grant at the lounge July 10, 2015. In that incident, a police officer in the area heard a gunshot just before 2 a.m. and saw patrons running out of Passion. Security claimed a shot had been fired inside the club.</p><p>Drayton was recorded by surveillance cameras bumping Grant before brandishing a handgun and pistol-whipping the victim, authorities say.</p><p>Grant then suffered a gunshot wound to his leg, which he survived.</p><p>Drayton, 48, was recently cleared in the shooting but admitted to a felony charge of firearms not to be carried without a license. Luzerne County Judge David Lupas ran Drayton&#8217;s sentence concurrent to a 57-month federal term he is serving for cocaine trafficking.</p><p>In <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/503669/early-morning-shooting-leaves-one-injured" target="_blank">January 2016</a>, six months after that incident, police said <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/503669/early-morning-shooting-leaves-one-injured" target="_blank">a man was shot</a> by someone as he was leaving Passion Lounge.</p><p><ins>For other local crime stories, <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/category/crime" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">click here</a>.</ins></p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Police investigate a shooting early Sunday at the Passion Lounge on Scott Street in Wilkes-Barre. It was the third shooting at the property in less than two years, and the repeated trouble has caught the attention of authorities. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_LOUNGE-SHOOTING-4.jpg</photo0><caption0>Police investigate a shooting early Sunday at the Passion Lounge on Scott Street in Wilkes-Barre. It was the third shooting at the property in less than two years, and the repeated trouble has caught the attention of authorities. </caption0><photoCredit0>Photo courtesy of Fox 56 </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_Passion_Lounge_Shooting-cmyk-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_Passion_Lounge_Shooting-cmyk-3.jpg</photo1><caption1></caption1><photoCredit1>Photo courtesy of Fox 56 </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_Salavantis-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Salavantis </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_Salavantis-3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Salavantis </caption2><photoCredit2>Photo courtesy of Fox 56 </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Third gunplay incident in less than two years</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Travis Kellar</p><p>tkellar@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Travis Kellar at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @TLNews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

DA confirms victim in weekend shooting outside Wilkes-Barre club