ATLANTA — The parents of a 21-year-old killed at a Buckhead club are filing a lawsuit against the establishment and others.
Mari Creighton, a rising senior and volleyball player at Albany State University, was one of two people killed after shots rang out at the popular Elleven45 Lounge on Mother's Day.
The complaint states the plaintiffs are filing the suit because of the "actions and/or inactions of the defendants, which lead to the tragic and completely avoidable death of Mariam Creighton."
Atlanta Police said a single shooter opened fire at the club and shot six people; Creighton and one other person died from their injuries.
The suit claims the "defendants allowed an armed individual(s) to enter and remain inside the crowded premises for an extended period of time where alcohol was served," adding that a patron got into a confrontation that "escalated to the point where the armed individual pulled out his handgun and proceeded for fire numerous shots into the crowded nightclub..." hitting the victims.
It adds that Creighton was a bystander in the "senseless shooting" and didn't know the shooter. The parents allege negligence in the suit, saying that if the defendants had "taken reasonable measures," she would still be alive.
“I’m very angry that they didn’t protect their patrons, protect my daughter. Like I said, had they not dropped the ball and made sure that security checked for guns, Mari would be here today, and I wouldn’t be doing this interview," Tracey Eson, Creighton’s mother, previously said.
Elleven45 shared on social media after the shooting that "our hearts go out to all those impacted," extending sympathy to the victims and their families.
And last week, Elleven45 released another statement that claimed the club is being targeted.
"It is very alarming to witness the continuous racial targeting of Black-owned establishments. The current efforts to shut down the establishment stem from its urban atmosphere and diverse clientele, which deviate from the Buckhead community's norms," the statement reads, in part.
The statement came after 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."
The lounge referenced 11Alive's prior reporting on crime statistics at and around the establishment in its statement. Last 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. Read the statement here.
