Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan said Tuesday that the City of Buffalo has shut down The Cowboy, a Western-themed bar on Chippewa, after its owner was arrested Monday for allegedly stabbing a West Seneca man — as well as himself.
Alfred Castricone, 72, was charged with second-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon following the incident, which took place at approximately 8 p.m. Friday night. According to the Buffalo Police Department, Castricone stabbed an unidentified 47-year-old male before he fell backward, inadvertently stabbing himself.
"It does just make you pause to think how do people get to the state of where somebody with a lot of things in their life ends up in a physical altercation with a knife about a seemingly innocuous argument," said the mayor. "So I was very disappointed. That has a negative ripple impact."
A letter posted on the door of the establishment, signed by Buffalo Police Deputy Commissioner Craig Macy, said the violent incident and subsequent, active investigation forced the closure.
"... the immediate closure of The Cowboy is necessary to promote and secure the preservation of peace and good order," it read.
The incident comes amid renewed efforts by city officials to strengthen public safety in a stretch of Chippewa that has seen several shootings and physical altercations in recent years.
Outside of increased police presence, communication with bar owners and road closures, Ryan also revealed the city is in the midst of an investigation into bars on Chippewa and violations he said go against local ordinances and state laws.
"We sent fire marshals into bars, found violations. We found violations of the maximum code, and we found numerous violations of under 21-year-olds in the bars when they are prohibited to be there. Those are all violations," said Ryan, who noted permit revocations may happen to bars as soon the end of this month. "The time for having cooperative conversations with the bar owners is over because several of them have no interest in cooperating."
Both men from Friday's stabbing were treated at ECMC for non-life-threatening injuries and released. Upon his release from ECMC, Castricone was arrested.
