March 11, 2016 By Christian Murray
An Astoria strip club that has been linked to a series of violent incidents—including the shooting of a livery driver earlier this month—has been temporarily shut down.
Club Purlieu, located at 36-04 34th St., was closed Thursday night after the 114th Precinct and various City agencies conducted an inspection.
Capt. Peter Fortune, the commanding officer of the 114th Precinct, said it was the Department of Consumer Affairs that found multiple violations and ordered temporary closure of the notorious club.
The DCA could not be reached as of press time.
Several elected leaders are using this temporary closure as a means to bring attention to a recent spate of violence and are calling for it to be permanently closed.
“This is the exact type of business we don’t need,” State Sen. Mike Gianaris said. “It’s dangerous and ruins the quality [of life] of nearby residents and office workers.”
The club made headlines when a livery driver was shot in the head on March 4 shortly after dropping off four passengers at the club.
The passengers got into an argument in the club, jumped in his cab and shots were fired, hitting the driver.
Last year, a brawl erupted at the club that was a gang-related incident where three people were stabbed.
The incident was sparked by a fight between members affiliated with the Crips and Bloods and ultimately spilled out onto the sidewalk, the Queens Chronicle reported at the time.
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer said he will hold a rally Monday at 9:30 a.m. to call for the closure of the club.
He will call on the State Liquor Authority to revoke the club’s liquor license and request that the NYPD’s office of Citywide Club Enforcement shut down the establishment based on its violent history.
Club Purlieu’s owner could not immediately be reached.
