A Burlington store owner surrendered his ABC permits to ALE after a shooting occurred in the store parking lot.
On Friday, October 9, 2020, officers with the Burlington Police Department responded to Joes Shopwell Mini Mart, 1204 Apple Street, for a physical disturbance and shots fired. ALE special agents found the shooting stemmed from a confrontation between several customers and the female store clerk after she refused to sell them tobacco products without a valid form of identification. The incident escalated from a physical fight to a shooting.
Joes Shopwell Mini Mart received Temporary ABC permits in February of this year. In January and March, the owner, Hirenkumar Patel, 40, was criminally charged for numerous alcohol and gambling offenses at another store he owns. Due to the violent nature of the incident, Patel voluntarily surrendered the store’s ABC permits to ALE.
“Employees have a right to refuse service to patrons who don’t provide a valid ID when purchasing age-related products such as tobacco and alcoholic beverages,” said Israel Morrow, ALE Assistant Director for Operations. “But it should never cost someone their life or to be seriously injured. With the permittee’s cooperation to surrender the business’ permits, hopefully violent events like this can be prevented.”
The shooting is still under investigation with Burlington Police Department.
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About ALE
ALE’s 109 specially trained agents have the authority to arrest and take investigatory action throughout North Carolina. Their primary responsibility is the enforcement of Alcoholic Beverage Control, tobacco, state lottery and gambling laws.