Mother of shooting victim 'relieved' after judge orders Elleven45 Lounge's closure
ATLANTA - Family members of one of the people killed in a Mother's Day shooting at Buckhead's Elleven45 Lounge are relieved the nightclub won't reopen.
Mari Creighton went to the Eleven45 Lounge in Buckhead to celebrate a friend's birthday on May 12 when she was shot and killed. The 21-year-old was caught in the crossfire when police say a fight escalated to gunfire.
"She was happy to, you know, go out, and, you know, show her ID that she was 21," Tracey Eaton, Mari Creighton's mother, said.
Nykris Ridley, 20, also died in the same shooting. Four others were injured. The suspected gunman, Karanji Reece, turned himself in to police in June. Since then, Creighton's family has been advocating for the lounge to be closed for good.
Mariam Creighton (Credit: Albany State University, Golden Rams Volleyball)
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"I saw that there was a petition from 2019. There's been stabbings and shootings, so just from reading the comments you see that there's so much violence and the club owners have to be aware of that," Eason explained.
The city of Atlanta filed an injunction to permanently shut down the facility. On Friday, a Fulton County Superior Court judge ruled in their favor, calling the facility a public nuisance and saying she had no confidence the owner could fix the ongoing problems.
"I'm relieved. I'm still really hurt and angry because it can't bring Mari back," Eason said. "It wasn't just Mari's passing that led to this. It was the history, but it does make me feel like her life did have some meaning."
As part of the ruling, the judge ordered that Elleven45 can no longer hold events, serve patrons, or conduct business at the location. She further ordered the property owner, Bennett Street Properties, not to allow such activities on the premises.
The judge also noted that the order extends to any rebranded versions of the lounge, even if a restaurant license is obtained.