DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The site of a recent shooting at a DeKalb County entertainment venue may be committing several violations according to county officials. DeKalb County code compliance, the county fire marshal's office and a health inspector all came out to the Golden Glide Skating Rink Wednesday, looking for potential infractions.
The inspection comes nearly two weeks after 11-year-old Dmari Johnson was shot in the skating rink's parking lot. Andrew Cauthen, the communications manager for DeKalb County, would not go into detail about the findings of the inspection. He said the results would come out at a later date. 11Alive has filed an Open Records Request in pursuit of the inspection results.
“We expect Golden Glide to address any concerns found here promptly and within the confines of the law," Cauthen said.
However, if the skating rink is in violation of the county's codes and ordinances, it could face fines and even face potential closure. Dmari's family has previously called for a shutdown of the establishment. An attorney representing the family said there was evidence suggesting that Golden Glide is "a nuisance of danger for kids and families." Others in the area said shootings have happened frequently at the skating rink and nearby businesses.
Alvin Hill, who's been skating for over 35 years, said the skating rink was too important to the community to close.
“This place shut down for a while, and then the community suffered because kids had nothing to do. Once it opened back up, it gave kids something to do. So this place is very important for the community.”
Hill said while security was present the night Dmari was shot in the back of the head, there was only so much they could do to keep the peace. DeKalb Police said a fight started inside the skating rink and spilled outside, which led to the shooting.
"This place, they try their best to keep kids safe, because it’s a designated place for the community for kids to come out and enjoy themselves," Hill said. "They expect these kids to maintain dignity in the skating rink, but if you’re not taught this at home, how can you maintain it outside of your home?”
Dmari's family described him as a "fun kid" who made good grades in school and loved sports. The shooting landed him in the hospital, where he remains in a medically-induced coma according to his family.
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DeKalb officials said a suspect had been identified in the shooting, however they would not give any details about who they were or how old they were. The suspect is not yet in custody. 11Alive reached out to the owner of the skating rink for comment on the recent shooting and Wednesday's inspection but did not hear back.