Closing time is earlier for bars in this Coast city following shootings. Here’s why
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- Ocean Springs bars must close by 2 a.m. during Labor Day and next 30 days
- Police data shows post-2 a.m. surge in assaults, DUIs and property damage
- City cites public safety amid recent shootings as reason for emergency order
Last call will be at 1:30 a.m., and Ocean Springs bars must close by 2 a.m. over Labor Day Weekend and for at least the next 30 days.
At a special meeting Tuesday, city officials voted for the earlier closing for all restaurants, bars, social clubs and event centers in the city.
The 2 a.m. closing is for Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Bars can resume selling drinks those days as early as 7 a.m.
State law generally allows alcohol sales from 10 a.m. through midnight Monday through Saturday, but local governments are allowed to extend those hours.
The new restrictions in Ocean Springs don’t extend to grocery or convenience stores that don’t allow people to drink on-premises, the city said.
The emergency action “to protect the health and safety of the Citizens of Ocean Springs” follows gunfire incidents at two locations over the past week, the city said.
The aldermen will continue to review the “emergency measures” at least every 30 days and will review the order at the next regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Sept. 2 at city hall.
Tracking the problem
Ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, Police Chief Steven Dye ordered a review of police data from January to date, using the department’s computer-assisted dispatch system (CAD). The system tracks everything from the first 911 call to the final incident report, giving officials a timeline of what officers are responding to across the city.
The report, Dye said, confirmed what the police chief had long suspected.
“We see a big spike in crime downtown after 2 a.m.,” he said. “Call volume goes up then, mostly for things like simple assaults, domestic violence, property damage and DUIs. They’re alcohol-related crimes.”
Because of that trend, Dye said he believes the city should consider setting a firm cutoff time for alcohol sales.
He also pointed to recent shootings as examples of the late-night problems. On Aug. 24, police responded around 2:50 a.m. to reports of gunfire at Government Street and Washington Avenue after a bar fight spilled outside. Shots were fired at a vehicle, but no one was hurt. Just a week earlier, officers were called to another report of gunfire at Bowen Avenue and Government Street, where they found multiple shell casings.
Both shootings remain under investigation.
How bars are affected
Most of the restaurants and bars in Ocean Springs already close before 2 a.m.
Some of the restaurants cater to the late-night crowd and are where service workers go when they get done at their jobs.
Oren Zweig, who recently ran unsuccessfully for alderman at large in Ocean Springs, said on Facebook he favors a larger police presence to restricting hours that will affect business owners who rely on late-night hours in the hopes of protecting citizens.
“Now, unfortunately there will be some responsible business owners and businesses that will suffer,” he said. “One being The Juke Joint. This is really going to hurt them,” he said, and he encouraged people to support the restaurant, along with Lynchburg Landing, Castaways and other late-night spots.
The owner of the Juke Joint didn’t return a call for comment, but posts on Facebook said the new regulations are unfair for The Juke Joint when the establishment never has problems and many people who work in the service industry go there to wind down after a shift.
Others suggested more security in the parking lots could help instead of pushing the problems to the streets and now earlier.
Comments also were posted by those who support the action and say by 2 a.m., it’s time to go home.
This story was originally published August 27, 2025 at 12:47 PM.
