ATLANTA — Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum shed light Monday afternoon on a shooting at a Buckhead nightclub over the weekend that left two people dead and four others injured.
Chief Schierbaum told an Atlanta City Council committee that there was one shooter in the incident and that the shooter was targeting one individual in the Elleven45 Lounge.
The chief said the person targeted was one of the two who died. Their identities were earlier released as 21-year-old Mari Creighton and 20-year-old Nakyris M. Ridley. Schierbaum did not say which of those two was the person targeted.
Schierbaum described the circumstances of the shooting.
"That one shooter intended to cause one other person harm inside, and in doing so, that weapon was discharged, and there were a number of people in close proximity that were also struck by those rounds," the chief said.
He added the four injured people are still recovering at local hospitals. Schierbaum also told the council that APD would soon be able to name a suspect.
"The investigation is very active. I was briefed on it again this morning and I'm confident that very shortly we can let this body, and Atlanta, know who we believe committed that crime, who we believe has caused that neighborhood to feel less safe," the chief said. "And we will have them before a court of Fulton County to hold them accountable."
He said he believed that would happen "very shortly."
"Our officers have been working tirelessly since that tragedy unfolded to make sure we have that individual in custody, before a court," Schierbaum added.
One of the victims, Creighton, was an Albany State University volleyball player, the school's athletic program said on Facebook.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of one of our student-athletes, Mariam Creighton," the athletics program's Facebook post stated. "The Golden Ram athletics community extends heartfelt condolences to Mari's family, friends, and teammates during this incredibly difficult time."
At this time, the identities have not yet been released for any of the other four injured victims, but police originally said they believed three men and three women were the six victims in all.
The lounge sits at the corner of Peachtree Road and Bennett Street in Buckhead. Officers said they believed the shooting stemmed from an argument and "physical altercation" inside the club that escalated.
"We at Elleven 45 are profoundly affected by the recent tragic events. Our hearts go out to all those impacted, and we extend our deepest sympathies to the individuals and families who have suffered loss and injury. The safety and well-being of our patrons and staff have always been our paramount concern. To ensure a thorough investigation in cooperation with local law enforcement, we will be closing our doors today," a statement from the club said Sunday.
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