City injuction details multiple police calls to The Scratch Kitchen before fatal mass shooting

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. (WLOX) - If the city of Ocean Springs has its way, The Scratch Kitchen will remain closed permanently following the mass shooting there Friday night.

The city has filed a preliminary injunction against the owner of The Scratch Kitchen Brittany Cruso Alexander, White Oak LLC, and Angela Vermillion, the owner of the property at 1013 Government Street.

Court documents state the goal is to make that injunction a permanent one.

“This has now become and escalated to the level of serious public safety issue based on multiple recent shootings that have occurred,” the documents read.

The 111-page document provides police and fire documents outlining several accusations made since The Scratch Kitchen opened in April 2022, including under-aged drinking, failure to implement adequate and effective security, and operating over maximum capacity in violation of the city fire code.

Documents included show that the Ocean Springs Fire Department has set the building capacity at a total of 143 people and included photo evidence of times that number was exceeded by the business.

“Plaintiff would show that unless a preliminary and subsequent permanent injunction is granted, serious, immediate, and irreparable harm will be done to the public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Ocean Springs,” the injunction read.

The injunction also provides police incident reports giving us a detailed look at the chaos that erupted when gunshots rang out Friday night.

A deputy at the scene told officers he heard 30 gunshots. Other officers document efforts to save those who were injured including both officers and others on the scene administrating CPR.

Fadarius Williams is accused of shooting and killing 19-year-old Chayse Harmon. Six other people were also shot. Williams is charged with first-degree murder and awaiting extradition from Mobile.

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