East Hartford restaurant has liquor permit suspended following deadly shooting

EAST HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) – A restaurant in East Hartford had its liquor license suspended after a deadly shooting happened there over the weekend.

Humacao Restaurant and Bar may not serve alcohol until further notice, according to the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP).

Police responded to the restaurant just after 1 a.m. Saturday morning for the report of a shooting.

The gunshot victim was taken to the hospital where he later died.

Authorities identified the victim as 39-year-old Theodore Wallace.

The restaurant’s liquor permit was first issued in December of 2023, officials said.

“The permit was first issued by DCP on a provisional basis on Dec. 12, 2023, and a final permit was approved on Feb. 27, 2024. The permit is set to expire on Dec. 11, 2024,” said DCP.

East Hartford Police Chief Mack Hawkins notified DCP that over the past five years, police have responded to 19 calls for service at the address.

Hawkins said 11 calls for service have happened since January 1 and that calls started to escalate less than a month after Humacao received the liquor permit.

“The establishment poses an immediate danger to customers, neighbors, motorists, and responding police officers. The business persists in hosting unruly crowds, loud music, and intoxicated patrons despite repeated citizen complaints and response by the East Hartford Police Department,” said Hawkins.

“This is a senseless tragedy that should have been avoided, and even though the new permittees at Humacao have only held the liquor permit for roughly three months, they are clearly not prepared for the responsibilities of protecting public health and safety that come with holding such a permit,” said DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli.

Anyone concerned with a liquor permit holder in Connecticut is asked to contact DCP.

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