3 men visiting on All-Star weekend shot outside Brookhaven nightclub

Three men who were apparently in town for the NBA All-Star weekend were shot Saturday morning when gunfire erupted outside a Brookhaven nightclub, police said.

Several officers patrolling Buford Highway responded to the Northeast Plaza shopping center after hearing gunshots about 3:45 a.m., Brookhaven police spokesman Sgt. Carlos Nino said.

One man was found in the parking lot outside Josephine Lounge with a gunshot wound and another victim was discovered in a car a couple blocks north, Nino said. A short time later, a third victim arrived at a hospital with multiple gunshot wounds.

According to police, all three men were “innocent bystanders” who were injured shortly after leaving the club. The gunshot victims were stable Saturday morning and all three are expected to survive.

“They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Nino said, adding the shooting occurred as the club was closing for the night.

On its Twitter account, Josephine Lounge has been advertising for its “All-Star Weekend Takeover.”

Police haven’t identified any suspects and are still working to determine what led to the triple shooting.

“We’re waiting for neighboring businesses to open to see if there’s any video surveillance that might have caught a glimpse of the incident, but we don’t have any video at this point,” Nino said Saturday morning.

City Council members voted 3-1 last month to allow Brookhaven’s bars and nightclubs to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. on March, 4, 5 and 7 as thousands flock to the Atlanta area for All-Star parties ahead of Sunday night’s game. The extension was proposed by the Brookhaven Chamber of Commerce, which represents the city’s bars and restaurants.

Businesses will have slightly more limited pouring hours on Saturday, which run from 11 a.m. to 2:55 a.m.

Nino said Brookhaven police have stepped-up patrols in anticipation of the weekend’s events, particularly during the overnight hours.

In neighboring Atlanta, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms released a statement last month pleading with fans not to travel to bars and nightclubs or hold any events related to the game.

“Under normal circumstances, we would be extremely grateful for the opportunity to host the NBA All-Star game, but this is not a typical year,” Bottoms said. “I have shared my concerns related to public health and safety with the NBA and Atlanta Hawks. We are in agreement that this is a made-for-TV event only, and people should not travel to Atlanta to party.”

Anyone with information about Saturday’s shooting is asked to call Brookhaven police at 404-637-0600. Tipsters wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477 or text information to 274637.

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