Five shot in attack near Atlanta Black Gay Pride event
At least five people sustained gunshot wounds in a shooting near an Atlanta nightclub hosting a black gay Pride event.
Shots rang out around 6 am Monday (September 6) near The Marquette Lounge, a venue hosting a Lil Kim concert as part of black gay Pride. Officers responded to reports of gunshots at the scene and discovered the five aforementioned victims. All received treatment at a nearby hospital and fortunately did not sustain any life-threatening injuries. The identities of the victims have not been made public.
11Alive reports that an investigation suggested that a fight broke out among concert patrons. Several concertgoers called 911 after the gunfire began. The suspect in the shooting fled, and remains at large, and the investigation remains ongoing.
“There were people shooting back and then somebody got in a fight, and they maced somebody and we all had to run. It was very scary,” said Joseph Downer, an eyewitness to the scene.
The Marquette Lounge also issued a statement in response to the shooting. “The Marquette Lounge management team is committed to the safety of our guests and are deeply saddened by the events that occurred outside the facility and across the street from our parking lot on Sunday evening as our establishment closed,” it read in part. “Our premises were fully secured at the time and to our knowledge, no major occurrence happened that would warrant the shooting that took place across the street.”
Meanwhile, Atlanta city councilman Michael Bond has said he will propose new measures to the council aimed at increasing security. That will include a new ordinance requiring liquor license holders to own adjacent parking lots to make sure customers are protected.
“Perhaps they begin towing cars after the business is closed, then the lot becomes private and people are no longer allowed to park there,” Bond told 11Alive.
The shooting outside The Marquette Lounge is just one of a number of shootings across the United States this Labor Day weekend. Chicago and New York City both experienced numerous shootings, while a former Marine in Florida gunned down four people, including an infant.