NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Some people are concerned about crime after a shootout outside Déjà Vu Showgirls Nashville, but the CEO said it’s not their fault.
Early Saturday around 2:30a.m. there was a shootout in a parking lot that's leased by several businesses at 15th Avenue North and Church Street. It was caught on surveillance video. Shell casings are scattered around the parking lot, and a vehicle was hit multiple times with bullets.
Then the next day, a police incident report said a man was found by strip club staff unconscious in a bathroom stall with possible drugs by him. The unconscious man was rushed to the hospital after medics did chest compressions according to the Nashville Fire spokesperson. His status is unknown.
People who live or work nearby reached out to Metro Council Member Freddie O'Connell as they're worried. "This has been a hotspot, and we need to focus on it like it’s a hotspot," O’Connell said, "The likelier it is being neglected by authorities across multiple departments, the likelier it is that activity starts to occur there on a regular basis."
Ryan Carlson, the CEO of Déjà Vu Showgirls Nashville issued a statement:
“This altercation was on a property completely unaffiliated with Deja Vu and among people who have never been inside our building. Unfortunately, due to the negligence of the Police Department and neighboring property owners (in particular, one very negligent parking lot owner), the Church Street area has become unsafe at times. The homeless population and well-known crack houses up the street are destroying this neighborhood. The Police Department doesn't respond for hours when called and unaffiliated parking lots are left to decay into nightly demonstrations of violence, drugs, and misdeeds. Ironically, our club is the only safe haven for visitors in the area.”
However, police said that’s not true. they responded to both weekend incidents within 5 minutes from when they were dispatched. "If you’re looking at that footage, that does not appear to be people unhoused, that appears to be people around cars they have driven there or ridden in," O’Connell said.
Freddie said something needs to be done so residents can feel safe again. O’Connell said, "It’s really tough."
Police said the shootout suspects left the scene, and no arrests were made.
