Café Rumba Shuttered By State, Cops Say It's 'Threat To Public Safety'

EAST HAVEN, CT — The state shut down Rumba Café Bar and Grill Wednesday. Its liquor license was suspended indefinitely pending a hearing, which means the nightclub is "closed until further notice," according to the state Department of Consumer Protection Liquor Control Division.

A Patch attempt to reach the nightspot's liquor license holder, Paul R. Matute of the Ecuadorian Investment Corp., for comment was not immediately successful.

The action follows a gunfire incident in the overnight hours Monday that resulted in two arrests.

Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli signed a summary suspension of the liquor permit following a letter from East Haven Deputy Police Chief Patrick Tracy.

In that referral, Tracy noted that in addition to the gunfire incident this week, since April 2021, there have been "23 other instances where police either conducted a drug investigation, or responded to calls pertaining to fights, unruly crowds, and assaults."

"One such incident involved the unlawful discharge of a firearm in the parking lot on October 10, 2021," he wrote.

In that case, there was a shootout at the nightclub. Read that story here, and below, view video footage of the incident provided by police.

A month later, a suspect in that case turned himself in to police.

Cafferelli said that, "As a result of these incidents at and within the vicinity of Rumba Café, East Haven police must assign a 'bar closing detail,' which places officers in the vicinity to deter illegal activity. Despite these efforts, the activity at Rumba Café continues to necessitate police intervention. Deputy Chief Tracy summarized, “[t]his continued illegal activity at Rumba Café has been a constant drain on police resources and has taken officers away from patrolling other areas of town.”

“We are fortunate that nobody was seriously injured or killed as a result of the gunshots fired at Rumba Café last weekend,” Cafferelli wrote. “It is clear this establishment is operated in a way that poses a serious risk to the community, that could eventually result in a serious injury or death. Our permittees have a responsibility to protect public health and safety, and Rumba Café is unable to maintain its commitment to that responsibility. Thank you to the East Haven Police Department for their ongoing work to address issues at this establishment.”

Read EHPD Dep. Chief Tracy's full letter here:

East Haven Police Liquor Co... by Ellyn Santiago

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The premise license is immediately suspended, and the establishment is closed until further notice. The permit was first issued by DCP on July 29, 2009, and is set to expire on January 27, 2025.

Original story:

EAST HAVEN, CT — Two New Haven men were charged by police following an overnight fight, and gunfire, in a Main Street bar.

It was around 1:30 a.m., when officer Joseph DiNatale, who was on a routine bar-closing patrol, heard several gunshots ring out at Rumba Café, 679 Main St., according to East Haven police Capt. Joseph M. Murgo.

Murgo, the department's spokesperson, said that when other officers got to the nightclub, they saw a "large crowd" leaving the bar and were "met with multiple active fights taking place inside the establishment."

No one was hurt and, Murgo said, the gunshots were fired in the rear of the building into the ceiling.

"Officers quickly developed two suspects involved and detained them while they worked to determine what had transpired," he said. East Haven police K9 Officer Donato Palma and his partner K9 Enzo found two guns hidden under a trash can on an adjoining property, Murgo said. Those guns, he said, were reported stolen out of state.

Police charged Edwin Colon-Perez, 23, of New Haven, and Jose Rodriguez Diaz, 23, also of New Haven.

Colon-Perez was charged with:

• Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree
• Carrying a Pistol w/o a Permit
• Breach of Peace in the Second Degree
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (2nd Offense)

Colon-Perez was held on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 20 in New Haven.

Rodriguez-Diaz was charged with:

• Breach of Peace in the 2nd Degree
• Interfering with an Officer

Rodriguez-Diaz was held on a $5,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 20 in New Haven. This investigation remains open, as additional charges are expected, Murgo said.

Anyone with information regarding the events that led up to this altercation is asked to contact detectives at 203-468-3820.