Safety at Club Lotus in question after shooting - WXII The Triad
THIS EVENING IT WILL STAY MUGGY WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOW 70'S. TALITHA: A SHOOTING OUTSIDE A DOWNTOWN GREENSBORO NIGHTCLUB HAS CLAIMED THE LIFE OF A 19-YEAR COLLEGE STUDENT. CITY LEADERS SAY THEY ARE REVIEWING WHAT HAPPENED IN AN EFFORT TO ASSURE BUSINESS OWNERS AND RESIDENTS THAT DOWNTOWN REMAINS SAFE. AUTHORITIES TELL US THE GUNMAN AND VICTIM, BOTH 19-YEARS-OLD, HAD JUST LEFT CLUB LOTUS. IT'S NOT CLEAR WHAT LED TO THE SHOOTING, BUT POLICE ARRESTED JERMAINE COUCH IS CHARGED THE FIRST DEGREE MURDER OF PATRICK SIMMONS. LAST YEAR A CUSTOMER WAS STABBED IN THE NECK WHILE INSIDE THE CLUB. A DATA BASE OF 911 CALLS PUT TOGETHER BY WXII 12 NEWS FINDS POLICE RESPONDED TO THIS ADDRESS NEARLY 400 TIMES BETWEEN 2009 AND LAST YEAR. ALL OF THOSE CALLS WERE TO A CLUB NAMED LOTUS LOUNGE. THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY A COMPANY CALLED DOUBLE-G PROPERTIES, THE OWNER IS A GREENSBORO MAN NAMED PAUL TALLEY. WE DID SPEAK WITH FORMER CITY COUNCIL ZACK MATHENY, WHO IS NOW HEAD OF DOWNTOWN GREENSBORO INC. THE CONVERSATION I HAVE HAD WITH THE NIGHTCLUB OWNER IS I BELIEVE GENUINELY REMORSEFUL AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HE WANTS TO LIVE WITH WHEN A YOUNG MAN LOSES HIS LIFE. BILL : WE CONTACTED THE COMMISSION ABOUT 19-YEAR-OLDS TO FIND OUT IF IT IS LEGAL TO BE IN THE NIGHTCLUB AND THE ANSWER IS YES. Source: www.wxii12.com
