Owner Of Brooklyn Roller Rink Fights To Keep His Facility Safe

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As police continue their investigation into the shooting outside a Brooklyn roller rink earlier this month, the facility’s owner says he is being unfairly targeted as a source for problems. NY1’s Jeanine Ramirez filed the following report.

The Empire Roller Skating Center in Crown Heights, which has been around for 60 years, is the only full-time roller rink left in the city. But police say the rink has generated chronic complaints, the latest incident being a shooting outside after an adult skating session earlier this month.

Michael Feiger has owned the business for six years.

“In that six years we’ve probably had a quarter of a million adult skaters come through here, every Tuesday, every Saturday,” said Feiger. “I’ve never had a problem.”

But police say there have been problems outside the rink as skaters leave. Last year, three people were shot in two incidents around closing time. In 2005, police say there was another shooting outside and a large fight that ended in ten arrests.

The shooting on January 3rd sent four people to the hospital. Feiger has been slapped with a criminal summons for disorderly dismissal — he’s been fined for that before. But he says he should not be held accountable for what happens in the streets.

He’s offering a $2,000 reward for information on the shooting.

“Anything that we can do to help reassure our customers that everything is fine here,” added Feiger. “And to provide any assistance we can to the police, and if we can surface some information with a reward, we’re happy to do that.”

In addition to the reward money, the owner is paying for extra police presence. He’s hired uniformed officers to work at the rink on adult skating nights. There are also video cameras inside and out, exterior flood lights, and plenty of posted rules.

Feiger says the rules are enforced by his security team, who search customers at the door.

“We want to make sure no weapons, no drugs, no alcohol,” said Feiger. “And then the security is just circulating around the building, just again, as a presence. They’re easily identifiable. We have them in bright orange vests.”

Feiger also ended teen night. City Councilwoman Letitia James supports the rink.

“They should not be held responsible for this individual who decided to take matters into his own hand,” said James.

Police are looking at surveillance video from the night of the latest incident. They say the shooter was wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt.

Meanwhile, Feiger hopes they stop pointing their finger at him.

”It’s a difficult city to operate in,” said Feiger. “That’s why we’re the only ones left. We’re fighting the battle.”

A battle he hopes he will win to keep his business rolling.

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