CENTER CITY -
There was chaos outside the Roar Nightclub at 7th and Arch in Center City early Sunday morning when a big fight broke out and police raced to the scene.
As officers tried to break up the brawl and disperse the large crowd, gun shots rang out. Officers pulled their weapons and the crowd scattered.
"Anybody could have gotten hurt," Deputy Police Commissioner Richard Ross told FOX 29. "Anybody. These bullets are firing all over the place."
Police say at least two shots were fired at 8th and Arch as they were clearing the area. No one was hit, but the gunfire brought even more cops to the scene. Police checked dozens of vehicles outside the club, but the gunman got away, leaving club patrons shook up and police concerned about problems here.
This is the third incident outside the club in seven months
Last July, a fight and gunfire outside the Center City hot spot left one man wounded.
Then in January, Police say there was a double stabbing outside the club after a fight here.
Police say they will speak with state liquor authorities.
"We start creating a written record for the purposes of any proceeding that may happen in the future," Ross added. "In addition to which, we get our troops out there to deal with folks who don't know how to act when the club lets out."
No one was at the club or answered the phone Monday. The nightclub sign had been covered up.
In past years, police used a citywide task force to shut bars down if there were repeated incidents of violence, fights or gunfire at or outside the location. But that task force was disbanded and now the process is more complicated.
"We can't do the same things we used to do before, it makes it a little more challenging, none the less, we're gonna' do our part and make sure people are safe," Ross explained.
The Department of Licenses and Inspections has no outstanding cases against the club. State Police Liquor Control Enforcement, which polices bars, reported no open investigations at the night club. The Sixth Police District says there have been problems outside Roar before and they are closely monitoring the situation.
"Now, we will have to ramp up our resources down here to deal with this quote, unquote let out," Ross said.
Parking lot attendants, who were here Saturday, told FOX 29 the gunman ran right through the parking lot with his gun out. They say there have been problems out here before and they hope police add additional manpower to prevent this from happening again.
Calls made by FOX 29 to the nightclub were not returned.
Police in the area of 7th and Arch in Center City investigate
