Empire Pizza Speaks Out on Downtown Safety | Tucson News

Empire Pizza, a Tucson staple for 16 years, is sounding the alarm after a deadly shooting wounded nine outside their downtown doors — two victims were on their patio. The restaurant blames the city’s declining safety on unchecked crime, rampant drug use, and a lack of prosecutions, saying gun control debates miss the real issues. Mayor Regina Romero acknowledges their pain but insists gun access was central to the attack, pointing to increased police presence since 2021 and measurable drops in homicides and gun violence. She also unveiled a new pilot program targeting repeat drug offenders with stronger prosecution ties to Pima County. While Empire Pizza insists more must be done, the Mayor vows ongoing efforts are yielding results — and she’s listening. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/ef0a67762666b9c5