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Elleven45 Lounge shooting: Surveillance video shown in court

By and FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Updated  June 28, 2024 6:08pm EDT
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 5 Atlanta

Elleven45 Lounge shooting surveillance video

The man accused of killing 2 people at a nightclub in Buckhead appears in court. On Friday morning, a police detective explained to the court what their investigation revealed and surveillance video was played. At the conclusion, the judge found probable cause, meaning that the case can proceed to trial.

ATLANTA - The man accused of killing 2 people at a nightclub in Buckhead on May 12 appeared in court Friday morning. 

Karanji Reese, 21, turned himself in to police on June 5. He is accused of opening fire at the Elleven45 Lounge in Buckhead, resulting in the deaths of Marion Crayton and Nicholas Ridley, and injuring four others. Reese has been charged with murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

His initial bond hearing was held June 25, but it was postponed because his attorney did not receive the notification.

On Friday morning, a police detective explained to the court what their investigation revealed and surveillance video was played. Surveillance cameras at Elleven45 Lounge actually captured the double murder.

The mother of Marion Crayton, an innocent Albany State University student killed during the melee, left the courtroom when prosecutors played the video of the deadly shooting. In the video, suspect Karanji Reese is seen just passing the security checkpoint at the lounge wearing a black hoodie and green cargo pants. He walks in, and the next perspective shows strobing lights, a couple of 100 people in the lounge. At 2:25 a.m., bullets started flying.

"That's when Ridley punches the male with the black shirt. The male pulls out of the gun and starts shooting.," APD detective  Latoya Francis explained. 

The video goes on to show club goers immediately starting running for cover. Unfortunately, Ridley and Crayton died. Four others were injured, including Lauren Moore, who was shot in both of her legs. The APD Detective told the court the lounge had thorough pat-down security procedures, and she is still unclear as to how Reese slipped in with a weapon. It is a question that haunts the Crayton family.

"They made her remove her MACE. So how did two people get in there with guns? Underage people were in there. They were very negligent. And also, whatever security let those guys in, they should also press charges on them because they were negligent," Crayton's mother, Tracey Eason, affirmed.

The detective told the court that a security officer identified Reese in a six-person lineup as the shooter. The prosecutors also can see that the security guard was outside at the front door when the shooting happened. Reese's family says he is innocent.

"APD needs to do their job instead of going by hearsay in the streets because Karachi did not do that. He is innocent. Why is it different bullets there? Why was it different bullets there, but you are still saying he is the one who did the shooting? How?," said Shunt Reese, the suspect's aunt.

APD said Ridley and Reese knew each other, and we're beefing. They also apparently have another unrelated criminal case pending. The detectives also say Reese's cell phone records were examined, and cell towers put him in the area of Elleven45 Lounge.

The judge ultimately found probable cause, meaning that the case can proceed to trial. 

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Karanji Reese, accused of murder in a deadly shooting at the Elleven45 Lounge, appears in court for bond hearing on July 2, 2024. (FOX 5)

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Since the shooting, the lounge agreed to close for 60 days after city officials began calling for its closure. The owners and the city will meet in early August to discuss the club's future. The owners have said they will take additional steps in the meantime to ensure the safety of its patrons.