Dillon County Sheriff Major Hulon says he's had enough of crime at some nightclubs.
"Weapons being fired, people vehicles being shot up, then even worse that someone's being wounded or shot or even they lose their life," said Sheriff Hulon.
He said he's received numerous complaints from residents about the trouble at the clubs.
"We certainly have a responsibility to protect our citizens, our residents. Some of the clubs are in residential areas and we have complaints late at 4 or 5 in the morning. Our folks cannot get their rest they want to get up and go to church on Sunday morning."
So, Hulon is cracking down on the establishments especially as it relates to violation of Blue Laws in Dillon County.
He explained, "We're gonna enforce the law. We're gonna ask these clubs to close at 2 o'clock on Sunday morning. They're not supposed to be selling alcohol after two o'clock, really 12 midnight is the cut off for most of them. If they have a private license they're allowed to go to two o'clock, but not beyond that. They're not suppose to serve any alcohol and we found that going on."
Over the past two weeks, deputies have shutdown nightclubs after 2 a.m. Sunday, including the Escalade on Highway 57.
An incident report says deputies heard four gun shots near the club, so they went to check it out. The report says when they got inside Escalade, they witnessed a bartender serve a half pint bottle of Seagrams Extra Dry Gin to a customer. The club's manager, Thomas Leach, was cited for selling alcohol after hours.
Leach says the bartender had a bottle in her hand, but sold the customer ice and juice.
He says when deputies came back last week, there was no booze, at all, in his club.
"I had nothing when they got here. They still say you have to close down . I was like, 'I have a business license. I sell food. I have a license for 24 hours,' If you shut me down, why you ain't shutting the Waffle House down?"
Deputies say they had to shut down the club that night, because people were fighting and firing guns outside.
Leach and another club owner, who wants to remain anonymous, say the deputies' actions are hurting their businesses and they're losing customers.
Leach believes deputies are unfairly targeting him.
"They scared of this community so they figure if they get rid of me, they get rid of the problem," said Leach.
"We don't target anyone but if we have problems and we have complaints, we're gonna go there and do our jobs and enforce the law," Hulon said.
Sheriff Hulon said it's his job to protect the people of Dillon County and he hopes closing down clubs at 2 a.m. Sunday morning will put a dent in crime at the establishments.
The sheriff said most nightclub owners are willing to work with him to improve safety.
