Sandusky shuts down Dog House Bar

SANDUSKY — An establishment, gaining a negative reputation over the years due to a number of violent incidents reported there, has been temporarily shut down. A court order issued Tuesday forced Amirah's Turn, formerly known as the Dog House Bar, on West Jefferson Street to indefinitely cease operations. Several local law enforcement personnel, inducing those from the Erie County Sheriff's Office and Sandusky police, went to the scene Tuesday, locking up all entrances to the bar. The legal motion calls for an immediate shut down with no chance of reopening until a court hearing takes place Sept. 17. Wedged in a densely residential area, on the corner of McDonough Street, people living there have frequently complained about the business, often citing fears for their safety. Sandusky police Chief Jared Oliver characterized the business as a nuisance and added how the shutdown "has been a long time coming." Officers have responded to calls ranging from disorderly conduct to weapons offenses, making for a tense environment in the neighborhood, Oliver said. For instance, in June 2020, two men were shot outside of the bar. And, in April 2021, a call was made of shots fired outside the bar, where officers found casings on the ground outside. "The business was nothing but a scourge on the neighborhood. There have been over 150 calls just in the last year," Oliver said. "It's been a lengthy process. There are bounds that we have to work within. We ensured it was done diligently." "The safety and security of the neighbors and our officers is of the utmost importance," Oliver said. "This business does not belong in the neighborhood. This is a good day for the city and a great day for the neighborhood," Oliver said. Sandusky ex officio mayor Dick Brady said the extreme action was necessary to protect the area's residents. "That neighborhood was held hostage by the owner's unwillingness or inability to control his customers," Brady said. "I hope this action sends the message loud and clear that this type of behavior will not be tolerated in Sandusky." Brady said the bar posed imminent threat to the residents and officers. "With the number of weapons-related police calls, it would only be a matter of time before an innocent patron or neighbor was hurt or killed," Brady said. "Each time our officers responded, their lives are also in danger, the situation was intolerable." In the court document, it names Jeanie Crabb, William Butler, Letesia Jones and Ambrian Lewis, all of Sandusky, as the defendants. It also lists the Dog House Bar as a defendant.