Colorado Springs nightclub closes, after city denies liquor license due to violent incidents

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The Nova nightclub in downtown Colorado Springs closed its doors Monday, stating on social media that City administration shut them down because the "community and other bars downtown didn't want them there." The City says it stems from a liquor license renewal process, and that they did not shut the bar down directly.

The City of Colorado Springs says that they contested Nova nightclub's application for a temporary liquor license renewal by listing out over 20 different incidents of criminal, violent and questionable behaviors on club property within a span of months.

Subsequently, the city requested that club ownership appear in court on September 20 to explain why they deserved to have their license renewed and/or not revoked.

In documents obtained by KRDO13, the city outlines the over-20 instances of various acts of violence and criminal behavior, between the months of April 2024 through August 2024, as evidence of why the contested the license renewal.

You can read the entire document in full, at the bottom of this article.

The documents explain that one two different occasions in the first week of August, the nightclub, and/or its managers, employees, or agents, knowingly sold alcohol to an underage person, as well as permitted the illegal sale of, and/or negotiated the sale of a controlled substance within the nightclub.

The city also cited an instance on August 11, 2024, where the nightclub violated city code by jeopardizing the public health, welfare and safety of the neighborhood and immediate surroundings, when a man identifying himself as the head of security at the club, physically prevented Colorado Springs Fire Department crew members from checking out an alarm panel when an alarm was set off at the building.

The department noted that this was during business hours for the nightclub with people there and music playing. They stated that there was a failure to evacuate the building despite the automatic alarm, but also noted that patrons were very unlikely to hear or notice the alarm due to the loud music and strobing lights, masking the alarm's intended purpose. There were also other safety code violations, according to the department.

The city also outlines at least 20 documented instances where the El Paso County Sheriffs or Colorado Springs Police were involved at the nightclub over that same four month span.

According to the city, nearly all of those instances contain an element of violence, many involve guns, and whether explicitly stated or not, alcohol and/or intoxication are always present.

One instance, previously reported on by KRDO13, saw a man hit a woman in the head with a handgun during an altercation outside, and then proceed to point that handgun at a police officer, before running away down the street.

That man, 21-year-old Amorion Germany would be shot by police while running away after failing to listen to officers demands to stop running and drop the gun. He survived his injuries and remains in court over his charges.

In another case, police responded to a report of a man assaulting women in the restrooms, which is still an ongoing case in court.

The city also mentions two separate instances that involved a body guard, Jakob Elliot, at Nova, leading to several felony charges relating to assaults.

One situation from June 2, 2024, consisted of Elliot allegedly "body slamming" a man on the concrete, leaving that person with a fractured wrist. He was charged with 2nd degree felony assault.

A second case, on July 21, 2024, alleges that Elliot choked a much smaller woman out after pushing back at someone shoving into her, until she was unconscious, and tossed her body onto the concrete outside, where she allegedly lay for 10 minutes.

Elliot was charged with First Degree Assault-strangulation, as well as a sentence enhancer for an allegation of serious bodily harm based on evidence from a medical examination. That case remains ongoing in El Paso County court.

That woman, 24-year-old Arvionne Eaton spoke with KRDO13 about the incident that night, while she was out at the nightclub on her own.

"I woke up just completely not knowing what was going on. I didn't know where I was at at the time or what had happened. And I realized that I was struggling to breathe." explained Eaton, after she gained consciousness outside on the sidewalk.

"I definitely don't think that they should be open." said Eaton after hearing the news of their closure this weel, "That's just not okay. You know, to allow people to get hurt in your establishment." she later added, explaining that she suffered a brain injury, and had difficulty breathing for a period of time after the incident.

In light of Jakobs, the city also claimed that nearly all of, if not all of, the people who are employed or contracted by the nightclub as "guards", "security", or "bouncers" are not actually trained or licensed security guards. Normally, those who are hired who would have to pass criminal background checks or have proof of training.

Documents also listed various physical altercations, or instances where threats were made, where police were called on scene, however ultimately no suspect could be identified or the club had closed for the night, which left the reports in limbo.

Reports from police also show that suspects were sometimes uncooperative, and resisted or obstructed arrests by police officers, leading to further conflict.

Some instances that were mentioned cited times where patrons pulled out weapons in the nightclub, some of which were illegal weapons, or were determined to be stolen. In one case, a man tried to throw the weapon away and hide it from police. In another, a man was arrested and his weapon confiscated, only to learn he was previously convicted of attempted murder, and should not have had a weapon in his possession.

It was the exhaustive list of incidents by the city, that led to wanting the nightclub ownership to appear in court to explain their situation, and argue for their right to a renewed liquor license.

Ultimately the ownership surrendered their renewal application on September 13, and instead stated online that they'd be closing their doors as of Monday, September 16.

A social media post to Facebook on Sunday, read in part that they were closing because: "the 'community' and other bars/clubs believing that we don't deserve to be in downtown. we tried to do everything we could to stay open for our people but all small businesses need their city's support and patience, not attacks. Thank you for all the continued support. We love all the memories that were created."

The full court document, can be read below: