An argument inside Scores All-Star Sports Bar & Video Lounge in Decatur erupted into violence, leaving one dead and one injured early Sunday morning, February 23, 2014.
According to witnesses, a dispute broke out between a group of men and two brothers on the dance floor of Scores All-Star Sports Bar. Security reportedly kicked the crowd out into the parking lot when one man threatened to retrieve a gun from his car. Multiple shots were fired in the sports bar parking lot, which claimed the life of the younger brother, only in his 20s.
A woman, uninvolved in the dispute, was caught in the parking lot gunfire. She taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Now, as one victim suffers from gunshot wounds and a family grieves for another, police are searching for the gunmen responsible. However, nightclub negligence attorneys at The Murray Law Firm are questioning whether another party may also hold responsibility in this tragedy: Scores All-Star Sports Bar.
Were police called at the start of the initial dispute, particularly upon hearing threats of a deadly weapon?
Given threats were made to retrieve a gun from the nightclub parking lot, what efforts were made to remove all those involved separately and safely from the premises? Did management or security attempt to escort the two brothers to their vehicles or place them in a secure area prior to moving the large group outside?
What efforts were made to safely evacuate patrons from the parking lot prior to moving a group threatening gunfire outside?
As our investigation continues, it may be possible that the owner and management of Scores All-Star Sports Bar & Video Lounge failed in their duty to protect these victims. Georgia law requires property owners protect all those legally on their premises from foreseeable harm. Given the threats of deadly violence immediately prior to the shooting, the owner and management may have made a fatal security error, which cost a young man his life and seriously injured another.
Should Scores Sports Bar be found at fault, the family of the young man may elect to hold the nightclub civilly liable for his wrongful death. Further, the injured victim may also elect to hold the bar civilly liable for all injuries she suffered during the shooting. Such claims may be in the millions of dollars and would, not only hold the owner and management to justice, but demand Scores and other local nightclubs finally re-evaluate security procedures. Perhaps, through implementing proper security measures and procedures, hundreds of other young lives may be spared.
Our sincere condolences are with the family of this young man and we pray for the swift recovery of the innocent bystander injured in the horrific shooting. The Murray Law Firm works tirelessly to protect victims and families devastated by negligent nightclub owners and we offer our legal expertise, if needed.
Anyone seeking legal representation or information is encouraged to contact us at 404.842.1600.
