ATLANTA — The Elleven45 Lounge faced another lawsuit following a shooting back in May that resulted in the deaths of a young man and woman.
Parents of 20-year-old Nakyris Ridley filed a wrongful death lawsuit on Tuesday, accusing the club of failing to provide adequate security and failing to prevent the foreseeable criminal acts that led to the shooting. It states the following inadequacies in security:
- Failure to warn invitees of prior violent incidents
- Insufficient surveillance
- Lack of proper training for security personnel
The lawsuit seeks no less than $5 million in damages for Ridley's death. It also states that the club was aware of "crimes occurring inside the Elleven45 Lounge and of violent crimes occurring in the parking lots surrounding."
The family of the other victim, Mari Creighton, who was a 21-year-old volleyball player at Albany State University, is also suing the club for negligence. Her family claimed it failed to provide adequate security, allowing a shooter to enter and open fire. The City of Atlanta filed a complaint against Elleven45, asking for a temporary restraining order against the club, its owners and the club's property owner. The city asked the courts to declare Elleven45 a public nuisance and prevent alcohol sales on the property "in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public."
Elleven45 Lounge released a statement in late May stating that it would enhance security measures. Managers of the club also addressed alleged racial biases in the club's operation.
The lounge referenced 11Alive's prior reporting on crime statistics at and around the establishment in its statement, saying, "Recent statistics from an 11Alive news report confirm that Elleven45 has maintained a commendable safety record."
Earlier this month, 11Alive scoured all 1,547 calls for service to the lounge dating back to June 2020. We also found that more than 1,100 off-duty Atlanta Police officers had worked security at the club.
Only three of the calls were for violent crimes - one was the most recent shooting, a shooting in November 2023, and a stabbing in 2021. The rest were various calls, ranging from noise complaints to thefts.