A man was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries Saturday after being shot at least once outside Centerfolds Cabaret near 19th and Peoria avenues in north Phoenix. He was later listed in stable condition, and no arrests have been made as detectives work to figure out what led up to the shooting and who is responsible.
First responders were called to the cabaret, located at 2031 West Peoria Avenue, after reports of a shooting, according to AZ Family. The Phoenix Police Department confirmed the man had been shot at least once, and investigators focused their attention on the front and side of the cabaret's parking lot, per the outlet's report. It remains unclear whether the shooting began inside the club or unfolded entirely in the lot.
Detectives are still working to identify those responsible and piece together the circumstances that led to the gunfire, the station notes. No further details on the victim's identity or his relationship to the venue — whether patron or employee — have been released.
A Cabaret With a Violent Past
This isn't the first time gunfire or violence has erupted at Centerfolds Cabaret. In January 2017, an off-duty firefighter died after a physical assault in the same parking lot, a case that ended with a bouncer convicted and sentenced in 2018 to 10 years in prison for murder, according to 12News.
That fatal assault also triggered regulatory fallout. The Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control revoked the cabaret's original liquor license after law enforcement reported that management had tampered with evidence and hindered the prosecution, per the agency's own records.
Another Flashpoint at 19th and Peoria
The shooting adds to a string of recent violence at the same north Phoenix corner. Less than two months earlier, an early-morning shooting on June 21 near 19th and Peoria avenues left two people wounded and led to a suspect's arrest, as Hoodline previously reported. That case was later cited as part of a broader pattern of north Phoenix gun violence that summer.
Arizona law adds another layer of context to shootings at bars and clubs. Under A.R.S. 4-229 and 4-244, concealed carry permit holders may legally bring handguns into licensed liquor establishments unless a compliant no-firearms sign is posted, so long as they don't drink while on the premises, according to Handgunlaw.us. Separately, state law under A.R.S. 4-112 requires liquor licensees and security staff to complete approved training in security procedures, de-escalation, and protocols for contacting law enforcement, per FindLaw.
Violent Crime Trends Across Phoenix
Citywide numbers show the backdrop against which this shooting occurred. Phoenix recorded 13,296 violent crimes in 2024, with aggravated assaults accounting for the vast majority at 9,068 reported incidents, according to data compiled by eufy. At the same time, the city saw an overall 4 percent drop in crime in 2024 compared to the previous year, along with a 28 percent decline in homicides from pandemic-era peaks, even as localized violent incidents like this one continue to occur.
The Phoenix Police Department's Violent Crimes Bureau, which includes a specialized Night Detectives Detail, is handling the investigation, consistent with how the department typically processes major assault and shooting cases. Anyone with information is asked to call police at (602) 262-6151. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Silent Witness, an independent nonprofit that works with Phoenix police to offer cash rewards funded entirely by private donations rather than taxpayer dollars, at (480) 948-6377, or in Spanish at (480) 837-8446.
