The Boston Licensing Board held an emergency hearing Thursday on whether to revoke the liquor license of Monica's Trattoria.
The meeting comes as the North End restaurant's manager, Patrick Mendoza, is wanted for attempted murder. He is believed to be the gunman riding a bicycle who shot at a man outside Modern Pastry last week. No one has seen Mendoza since the shooting.
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The hearing focused on Mendoza's role as manager at the restaurant. His attorney argued that the restaurant is seeking to transfer the license to a different manager.
The board is considering allowing the restaurant to make that transfer, but is reluctant based on Mendoa still being on the run.
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Board members said it is "unprecedented" that a manager of record would be unavailable for a week and has been evading the law, accused of serious crimes.
"A successful family business should not be penalized at this point in time by putting people out of work uh by having his family go without income," Mendoza's attorney argued.
Boston police said surveillance video shows the moment Mendoza opened fire outside of Modern Pastry last week. The intended target was not hurt, but according to the police report, Mendoza was aiming at another North End resident and the two have a history.
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Joanna Abbondanza knows both of them and told NBC10 Boston this week that she is well aware of the ongoing feud.
“They were both instigating each other for many years. We’re talking 20 years. When is something going to be let go,” Abbondanza said.
According to court documents obtained by NBC1 0 Boston, Patrick Mendoza was found guilty of assault and battery for attacking the same man with a glass bottle back in 2019. The incident report said the fight started as a traffic dispute between the victim and Mendoza’s brother, Frank Mendoza. Patrick Mendoza’s probation in that case was set to end the day before the latest shooting.
The victim was also charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, after he was accused of flashing a firearm at Frank Mendoza. That case was later dropped.
“I just think the emotions got so high that it got to this point,” Abbondanza said.
