By Jill Harmacinski
jharmacinski@eagletribune.com
October 12, 2008 11:40 pm LAWRENCE — At least four shots, "possibly more," were fired outside a Broadway nightclub, killing a Haverhill father and critically injuring his friend early yesterday, police said. Both men were shot after leaving the former Punto Final nightclub, which was renamed D'Cache three weeks ago and is under new management. Police said Julio Zuniga, 34, of Haverhill was killed, and his friend Roberto Francisco Sanchez Rios, 34, also of Haverhill, was admitted to Lawrence General Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds shortly after the 1:09 a.m. incident. Rios remained in critical condition early this morning but is expected to survive his injuries, police said. Zuniga, who lived at 137 Hilldale Ave., was the father of five children. Friends and relatives gathered at his home last night to comfort his distraught widow, Yvonne. They declined comment, other than to say his death was senseless. For police, the double shooting is another in a long list of crimes to occur at and near the club at 272 Broadway. Over the years, the business has been the backdrop for a double shooting, triple stabbing and other violent crimes, some of which were not immediately reported to police. Former Punto Final owner and manager Juan Pascual faced a variety of fines and suspensions of his license to sell alcohol. Police said they have received 177 calls from the club since 1999. Many complaints about noise, fights and vandalism have been filed by neighbors and businesses in the area, police said. This year already, police have received 36 complaints from the club, which they said includes the "gun call" yesterday morning and others involving larceny, malicious damage, 911 hang-ups and more. New manager Brian DePena is in the process of purchasing the club, which he said he's transforming into an upscale social club. He extended his condolences to Zuniga's family last night and stressed he is committed to improving the business and the neighborhood. Unfortunately, DePena noted, he cannot control what happens outside the club. A fight could start at any business and continue in the parking lot, he said. "It's extremely difficult, if not impossible, to control what someone does when they leave the premises," DePena said. Police disagreed, though. The club is responsible for its patrons when they leave and "there are dozens of restaurants and bars in the city that close quickly and quietly without any problems," Lawrence police Lt. Shawn Conway said. A sign of good management "is not someone being shot," he said. Zuniga and Rios were shot after a fight started inside D'Cache and then spilled into the club's parking lot about closing time, police said. As many as two handguns were fired, neither of which was immediately recovered. As of early this morning, no one had been arrested in connection with the shootings. "We believe at least four shots were fired, possibly more," said police Chief John Romero. "This was something that started as a verbal altercation inside and turned physical outside." Juan Pimentel, who runs a late-night sandwich business outside the bar, said he heard three or four shots fired. State police detectives used yellow crime scene tape to rope off an area where both men were shot and a sport utility vehicle was parked. Meanwhile, one of the victim's brothers sat inside a nearby police cruiser, crying. The man begged to go to the hospital to be with the wounded men. But police said they were holding him for his own protection, not as a prisoner, in the back seat of the cruiser. DePena owns other businesses in the Broadway area and took over the club, which closed temporarily in July. He changed the name to D'Cache, which means "distinction" in Spanish, offered patrons valet parking, and said he would post security guards outside on Thursday to Sunday nights when the club was open. Last night, DePena said he is also working to install an outdoor surveillance system. He also instituted a dress code, which barred visitors from wearing jeans, sneakers or T-shirts with offending messages. Both Romero and Conway, an investigator for the city's licensing board, are concerned a patron was murdered only several weeks into a management change. "The name has been changed but we are dealing with the same issues," Romero said. Staff writer Mark Vogler contributed to this report.
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