Newark City Council Adopts Ordinance To Limit Hours Of Late-Night Restaurants

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Newark's City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance to limit the business hours of restaurants located in high crime areas of the city.

The ordinance requires restaurants to close at 10 p.m. during the week and at 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The council reportedly made a list of areas they think are problematic.

Restaurants that want to stay open later would be able to request an exemption from police.

The measure stems from the shooting death of Officer William Johnson, who was shot and killed while waiting to buy a slice at Texas Fried Chicken and Pizza on Lyons Avenue back in May, 2011.

A 21-year-old man and 19-year-old woman were also injured in the drive-by shooting.

Police arrested Rasul McNeill-Thomas in connection with Johnson's death. He faces first-degree murder charges as well as two counts of aggravated assault, carjacking conspiracy and weapons offenses.

McNeill-Thomas has pleaded not guilty.

Several weeks after the shooting, Mayor Cory Booker vetoed a measure that would require fast food restaurants to post armed guards after 9 p.m.

This latest ordinance will be sent to the mayor's desk and must be signed by him for it to become law.

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