Bebo's Cafe in Knoxville shut down for good by judge after multiple shootings

Bebo's Cafe, a hookah bar in Knoxville's Downtown West neighborhood, has been permanently shut down under a Tennessee nuisance law after multiple shootings and other violent incidents at the club.

On Aug. 3, Criminal Court Judge Steve Sword signed an order of permanent injunction that bars owner Beshoy Saman from operating the business at the Gleason Drive address. Saman also must surrender Bebo's Cafe's beer and liquor permits within five days.

Ruei Mei, listed in the order as the owner of the property, must run criminal background checks at no cost on all potential tenants before signing a lease agreement, an order that is in effect for the next two years.

What led to the closure of the bar

Knox County District Attorney Charme Allen filed a petition in June alleging the bar has been the scene of multiple shootings and altercations over the last 18 months. Allen characterized the business as a "haven for criminal activity," according to the petition.

In August 2022, Cedric Isom, 29, of Knoxville, was found dead in the parking lot at 1:50 a.m. A second man also had been shot in the leg.

Destiny Jones, 24, of Anderson County, was struck by gunfire in the parking lot on May 15, and then died in a car accident as she was being rushed to the hospital.

And on June 4, police responded to Bebo's Cafe for a shooting in the parking lot with one victim who was taken to the hospital, the petition stated.

Liz Kellar is a public safety reporter. Email lkellar@knoxnews.com.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Bebo's Cafe in Knoxville permanently closed after multiple shootings