Police: Club shooting may be gang-related
28 people injured in early-morning incident in Arkansas
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Clubgoers screamed and scrambled for cover as dozens of gunshots rang out during a rap concert in downtown Little Rock early Saturday, leaving 28 people injured from an 11-second melee that police said may be gang-related.
Police Chief Kenton Buckner said investigators believe multiple people fired shots and that the shooting could be connected to other violence in the city in recent days. All of the victims were expected to survive the shooting at the Power Ultra Lounge, and Buckner credited the work of first responders for that. A violent week
Twenty-five people between the ages of 16 and 35 suffered gunshot wounds, and three others were injured while fleeing the club.
Two people were in critical condition Saturday afternoon, Buckner said. Police said they did not know how many shooters there were.
Courtney Swanigan, 23, said that when the gunfire rang out, “I just closed my eyes, got down on the ground and put my hands on my head.”
City officials said they would move Monday to shut down the club under a “criminal abatement” program. State regulators suspended the club’s liquor license earlier Saturday, and Mayor Mark Stodola said the property’s manager was delivering an eviction notice.
“We know we’ve got to use a hammer, we’ve got to use a big hammer on the people who would do violence with guns and hurt people,” Stodola said.
He said the city must do more to “keep guns out of the hands of the wrong people” and suggested that people refuse to frequent clubs that seem to promote violence. Material advertising the concert by Tennessee rapper Finese 2Tymes showed a man pointing a gun at a camera.
“A promotional video with a gun on the front cover inviting people to a concert ... should also be totally unacceptable in our community,” Stodola said.
The shooting capped a violent week in Arkansas’ largest city. Police had responded to a dozen drive-by shootings over the previous nine days.
“This does appear to be a continuation of disputes from some of our local groups,” Buckner said. “You’ve seen some of the things playing out in our streets that has resulted in drive-by shootings.”
The shooting occurred around 2:30 a.m. about 1 mile east of the state Capitol building. Top state officials offered to aid the city respond to an increasing number of incidents. ‘Intensifying’ crime problem
“Little Rock’s crime problem appears to be intensifying,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a statement. “Every few days it seems a high profile shooting dominates the news, culminating with this morning’s event. I have spoken this morning with Mayor Stodola and I have offered both my heart felt concern over this senseless violent tragedy and state assets as needed to address the continued threat of violence in our community.”
A Facebook video posted from inside the club included audio of at least 24 rounds fired in about 11 seconds. Darryl Rankin, who posted the video, said a friend of his who attended the Finese 2Tymes concert with him had a bullet “stuck in his spine.” Buckner said police had not yet spoken with the rapper, who he said has outstanding warrants in the state.