CAYCE, S.C. — Officials of a South Carolina city say an area hotel was so plagued by crime that its license has been suspended and its owner convicted of running a nuisance business.
News outlets report the city of Cayce announced the Knights Inn Hotel closure Wednesday. Of the hotel’s 169 911 calls in the past 90 days, most related to attempted murder, drug trafficking or armed robbery.
Department of Public Safety Chief Byron Snellgrove said the scales tipped toward a shutdown on Monday, when authorities learned hotel staff refused to call 911 to help a domestic violence victim.
He says that refusal caused law enforcement to lose all confidence that staff of the hotel owned by Binoy Wankawala would do the right thing.
"It was time to take action,” he said.
A license status hearing is set for Oct. 24.
