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Columbus shuts down Aurora Nightlife bar after shootings, including one involving a teen

Columbus, Ohio • October 30, 2026 • By Press Pass USA

Editorial illustration: a boarded-up bar storefront on a city street with a police cruiser parked nearby

Editorial illustration — Press Pass USA

A Columbus bar on the city's Near East Side has been shut down by court order after a string of violent incidents, including shootings over the past two weekends — one of them involving a 16-year-old.

Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein announced the shutdown of Aurora Nightlife, located at 1025 E. 5th Ave. The bar has been evicted from the premises, and the property has been boarded up until further notice, according to a release from Klein's office.

Klein's Property Action Team reached an agreement with the Franklin County Municipal Court on Oct. 28 to shut the club down, citing its history of violent crime, shootings and after-hours liquor sales.

"Nightlife cannot come at the expense of public safety," Klein said in the release. "The City will not tolerate any business that fails to operate safely and legally, and I'm thankful for the Property Action Team for taking swift action to see this magnet for violence shut down."

Court documents cited in the release describe the bar's history of liquor code violations and "numerous police runs," including reports of shots fired, vehicle break-ins, assaults and shootings over the past two weekends, one of which involved a 16-year-old.

As part of the court order, the property owners evicted Aurora Nightlife, and its liquor permit "has been placed in safekeeping," the release states. Owners agreed to "strict terms" if another tenant eventually moves into the space, and the bar owner agreed not to open another illegal bar in the city.

Columbus police and the court will also conduct regular inspections to ensure compliance, according to the release.

"Nowhere in our city should residents have to worry about violent businesses creating chaos in their neighborhood," Property Action Team attorney Sophie Yano said in the release. "We continue to urge residents who see problem properties to report them to 311 — and always report criminal activity to law enforcement. Community reports often drive our work to hold owners and landlords accountable."

Sources: The Columbus Dispatch (Oct 30, 2026); Columbus City Attorney's Office release, as reported by The Columbus Dispatch.