ChicagoVideo

Velvet Rope, Oak Park Gay Bar, Fire Officially Ruled An Arson (VIDEO)

Fire That Destroyed Gay Bar Officially Ruled An Arson

Story by Kate Sosin, courtesy of Windy City Times:

A fire that ravaged Oak Park's gay nightclub has been ruled an arson.

Investigators have determined that the fire that tore through the Velvet Rope Ultra Lounge, 728 Lake St., June 3 was set intentionally, said Deputy Chief Kenneth Klemm, of the Oak Park Fire Department.

"The [police department] has taken over the investigation," said Klemm.

Police Commander Phyliss Howard previously told Windy City Times that "there was some graffiti that would lead us to believe" that it might be either a hate crime or something like that."

David Powers, communications director for Oak Park, confirmed the presence of graffiti in the building but said that it is too soon to tell if the fire was an anti-gay crime.

Read the whole story here.

WATCH a previous report on the fire that destroyed Velvet Rope:

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

View more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.

Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip