A Laurel City councilmember is questioning the process that led to the city temporarily shutting down Amigos Mexican Grill after a night of violence on Cinco de Mayo that left five people injured.
The restaurant had its use and occupancy permit suspended by the city’s Department of the Fire Marshal and Permit Services on May 8 after a sprawling Cinco de Mayo party on May 5 spiraled into separate shooting and stabbing incidents near the restaurant’s parking lot. The suspension was initially set for up to 30 days, but an agreement between the city and the restaurant led to it reopening on May 15.
“The safety of our residents, visitors, and businesses remains our highest priority,” Mayor Keith Sydnor said in a statement on May 11. “The City of Laurel will continue working with our public safety and regulatory partners to ensure accountability and compliance with all city requirements.”
But Councilmember Kyla Clark (Ward 2), whose ward includes the restaurant, is now criticizing the city and mayor’s office over a lack of transparency surrounding the decision to initially close the restaurant.
“[The mayor’s office] has not provided clarity. When I asked, I received the press release,” she told The Laurel Independent.
On May 11, Clark sent a memo to Sydnor and city administrators advocating for the reopening of Amigos.
“This is a cost our community cannot afford, and one I was not willing to accept without raising my voice on behalf of those business owners and their dedicated teams,” the memo read.
Clark said she believes her memo helped spur the city’s decision to allow the restaurant to reopen.
“I was concerned [about] all parties. I was concerned about the people that were injured; the people that witnessed [the violence], and the business owners,” she said. “I know how it can affect a business when they’re shut down. These people are living paycheck to paycheck or tip-to-tip to pay their bills.”
Sydnor confirmed that the city had reached an agreement with Amigos to reopen. The agreement included banning outdoor tent events on Cinco de Mayo for three years, requiring the restaurant to hire law enforcement officers from 8 p.m. to midnight Thursday through Saturday and requiring the business to close at midnight.
“Our team is very excited to get back to work. We appreciate the support from the community and looking forward to seeing our amigos again!” read a message posted to the restaurant’s social media accounts on May 14.
The restaurant opened in 2023 at the Centre at Laurel shopping center in the former Applebee’s location, which closed in 2020. Since opening, Amigos has become one of the few larger sit-down restaurants on the edge of the city in Ward 2 and one of the area’s most popular dining spots, known for its large drink menu and weekday specials.