Huntington Mayor Steve Williams held a press conference at 3 pm Thursday to address the ongoing investigation into the mass shooting at Kulture Hookah Bar on New Year’s Eve that left seven people injured.

“I have ordered that a temporary cease and desist order be issued today to Kulture LLC on the basis of the business not operating as it had originally indicated and for the non-payment of taxes,” said Mayor Williams. “Secondly, I am going to be proposing a change in the zoning ordinances that prevent new bars from opening in the city of Huntington and reviewing our existing business licensing process with public safety in mind. We will be implementing additional vetting procedures as well.”

The announcement of the new vetting process comes after reports that Kulture owner Charon Harris had previously been convicted in 2016 of maintaining a residence for the purpose of distributing heroin.

“There are entities coming in and creating business, seeking to purchase property, all under the guise of a legitimate business ownership, “ said Mayor Williams. “But it’s also cloaked in secrecy or other nefarious actions.”

Kulture LLC originally was issued a retail business license and a certificate of occupancy for a retail business in July of 2019. An application for a special permit to operate Kulture as a bar was approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

“The owners were notified they would need to obtain a new certificate of occupancy and business license before opening a bar,” said Huntington Business Service Advocate representative Sharon Pell. “Kulture LLC did not complete the next steps for opening a bar.”

“Clearly they weren’t operating as a retail business,” said Mayor Williams. “And they haven’t paid the first penny in taxes.The weren’t doing what they say they were doing.”

The Mayor said that city officials were not aware of Harris’s prior heroin-trafficking related conviction until Tuesday.

“The Board of Zoning Appeals gets a bad rap. They acted upon that which was given to them,” said Mayor Williams. “There’s nothing within our ordinances that requires a vetting process. That has to stop, and that will stop.”

Mark Williams is a multimedia artist and freelance journalist based in Huntington, West Viriginia. He can be reached at 17markwilliams17@gmail.com