Night club closes down after Christmas shooting
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on December 26, 2016 5:21 PM
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Full SizeThe owners of the club Epiphany LLC off of U.S. 117 South voluntarily surrendered their ABC permits today around 2:30 p.m. after a manager at the club was shot in the leg around 3:30 a.m. Christmas morning, according to an official with the Wayne Alcoholic Beverage Control board.
Wayne County Sheriff Larry Pierce confirmed as much. He said the club manager, Derontae Lee, was shot in the leg as he drove away from the club after it had closed.
"Our understanding is they has closed for the evening and the manager and someone else came out of the club and as they left shots were fired and he was struck in the leg," Pierce said.
Pierce said Lee was driving the vehicle when he was shot and that there are no suspects in the shooting at this time.
Lee was treated at Wayne Memorial Hospital and released, Pierce said.
Joe Sadler, Wayne ABC law enforcement chief, said this incident is not the first complaint authorities have received about the club, which is located at 2339 U.S. 117 South Unit C-D.
Sadler said law enforcement has received several complaints on the club, including loud music disturbances and empty alcohol bottles being left in the parking lot.
The owner of the tobacco store next door has lodged complaints against the club due to the music being so loud it knocked merchandise off the walls, Sadler said.
"They quit selling alcohol at 2 a.m., but one of the problems with the club is that they would stay open until 3 a.m. or 4 a.m.," he said.
Sadler said a woman who lives in Raleigh that is a part-owner of the club voluntarily surrendered the permits, but declined to provide her name.
Reginald White is the man's name that is on the ABC permits, but he is not the person who voluntarily surrendered them, Sadler said.
"They surrendered their permits today and that means they are effectively shut down now," Sadler said.
Anyone with information about the shooting, or any crime in Wayne County, is asked to call or text Crime Stoppers at 919-735-2255, or submit information via tipsubmit.com.
Callers can remain anonymous and information leading to a felony arrest will be eligible for a cash reward.