A 21-year-old man was arrested Wednesday in connection with last month’s deadly shooting at a Buckhead nightclub, which will remain closed for 60 days while owners fight an attempt to shut it down permanently.
Karanji Reese, who surrendered to Atlanta police, is facing charges of murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, authorities confirmed Thursday.
Gunfire erupted May 12 at the Elleven45 Lounge, killing Mari Creighton, a college volleyball player, and 20-year-old Nakyris Ridley, who police said was the intended target. Four others were shot but survived.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Atlanta police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the suspect had been identified, but no arrests were made for weeks.
“It doesn’t provide relief to me, but I’m glad that the suspect has been apprehended, so he’s not able to be out harming anyone else’s family,” Tracey Eason, Creighton’s mother, said of the arrest. “No one should have to feel the pain that I feel.”
Credit: Rosie Manins/AJC
Credit: Rosie Manins/AJC
Eason was at the Fulton County courthouse Thursday with Creighton’s father, Juan Umberto Creighton, sister, Tiffany Eason, and best friend, Bryanna Davis, for a hearing on Atlanta’s bid to temporarily close the nightclub while the city’s case seeking permanent closure is litigated. The hearing was postponed.
Creighton’s parents filed their own lawsuit against the club’s owners and managers Tuesday, seeking unspecified damages over her death.
“I’m hoping for accountability, that the club is closed and they’re not able to open another club under another name,” Tracey Eason told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “And that in the future, clubs should allow for some sort of metal detector.”
Terry Bailey, the attorney for defendants Djibril Dafe and Elleven45 Lounge LLC in the city’s case, said they have agreed to keep the club closed for 60 days while preparing for an evidentiary hearing. He said his clients deny the negligence allegations made against them.
“My clients’ current focus is on reviewing and enhancing security protocols for the restaurant as well as defending this pending lawsuit,” Bailey said Thursday. “We will be filing responsive pleadings to address the city’s verified complaint.”
The once-popular nightclub on Peachtree Road has remained closed since the fatal shooting.
“Despite being slandered by the Buckhead community and the media, facing accusations driven by bias and misinformation, we will remain closed as we continue to work with the Atlanta Police Department to bring justice for all who have been affected,” a statement by the club read.
Atlanta police said a fight inside Elleven45 escalated to gunfire. All of the victims were bystanders and were shot once, except for Ridley, an incident report stated.
Parker Miller, an attorney for Creighton’s parents, said it was incomprehensible how an armed person was able to enter and cause “devastating harm,” given the history of violence on site.
“Mari was everything you could hope for in a daughter, a student, a teammate and a friend,” Miller said. “She and her family paid the ultimate price for this location’s choices, and we are honored to seek justice for them.”
Nearly four years ago, a petition sought the closure of Elleven45, which it deemed “irresponsibly owned” following claims of an increase in crime there. Miller said 911 calls to the property dating to June 2020 reveal Atlanta police were called for two other shootings, 35 fights and 38 noise concerns.
Just days after the deadly shooting reignited community concerns about security, the city said it had launched an investigation.
The city later filed a lawsuit to shut down the club, claiming it is a public nuisance. By allowing guns on the property, the city argued Elleven45 was a safety hazard and would continue to pose a danger to the public.
In the statement announcing its closure, the club said the shooting was a tragic incident that had “changed the way we view our safety protocols.”
Creighton, a Stockbridge High graduate, was at Elleven45 celebrating the birthday of her 22-year-old niece when she was shot, Channel 2 Action News reported. She played volleyball for Albany State University and was one semester away from graduating with a degree in biology.
Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office
Police did not release additional information on Reese, who was previously arrested in Fulton County on charges of theft, fleeing from police and interference with government property, according to online records. He is being held without bond.
Police said the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
