The Rev. Dwight Stallings said his congregation at Heatherwood Baptist Church in Riverdale has had to put up with a lot from the nightclub next door, including a patron being killed in the church's parking lot early Saturday.
Patrons from Club Ritz on Old National Highway have regularly parked in the church’s parking lot off Highway 138 near Old National Highway, despite requests to end the practice.
Stallings said trash routinely has been left on the church’s property after club hours, and on Saturday, as church members gathered for a brotherhood breakfast, Stallings said it was discovered that someone had defecated just a few feet from the church’s fellowship hall.
“Just total disrespect for the sanctity of church property,” the senior pastor told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday.
Stallings spoke just hours after Fulton police were on the scene to investigate a fatal shooting.
The dead man, Jonathan Holland of McDonough, was among two groups who had just left Club Ritz around 3:50 a.m., according to Fulton police spokeswoman Cpl. Kay Lester. The spokeswoman said the two groups had parked at Heatherwood Baptist Church.
“As they were leaving, some type of altercation occurred and gunfire was exchanged,” Lester said. Holland, 21, was shot in the back and later died at Southern Regional Medical Center.
According to Channel 2 Action News, two carloads of witnesses were taken to a police precinct for questioning. No arrests had been made.
Stallings said he arrived at the church Saturday to find at least nine bullet shell casings still scattered on the parking lot, stunned that Fulton police investigators had left them behind.
Efforts to reach management at the club were unsuccessful Saturday. On its website, Club Ritz promotes itself as an upscale, high-energy dance club and entertainment facility.
The minister said he’d been assured several times by management at Club Ritz that it would urge patrons not to park in the church’s parking lot.
Associate Pastor Doug Johnson said Heathwood Baptist Church is planning to take steps to secure its property, including possibly installing more security cameras. Johnson said the church has tried to be a good neighbor despite the club being next door.
Not only do Club Ritz patrons use the church parking lot while the club is open, they linger in the parking lot after it closes, Johnson said.
“We’re frustrated with them using our parking lot after the club closes,” Johnson said. “It is a problem, and we are going to take corrective action.”
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