Violence Closes D.C. Nightclub Nightclub Owner: 'We're A Safe Establishment'
Video POSTED: 6:47 am EST November 15, 2005
UPDATED: 7:34 am EST November 15, 2005
WASHINGTON -- Late Monday evening, D.C. police evoked emergency powers to close Kili's Kafe and Nightclub in northwest Washington.
D.C. police Lt. Mike Gottert posted the signs on the nightclub's door. He told News4, "By the powers of the chief of police, this establishment is closed for up to 96 hours based on imminent danger to public safety."
The action came after an early-morning shooting Monday that left four men wounded. Police said more than two-dozen shots were fired.
And in June, police said a soldier who had recently returned from Iraq was killed and his friend wounded after getting into an altercation with some men, moments after leaving Kili's. Investigators said 21 shots were fired in that case.
"Clearly what we're dealing with here is a magnet for violence," said D.C. Councilman Jim Graham.
Victoria Kibunja, the club's owner is being supported by at least two community activists who accused the councilman of being overzealous.
"My heart goes out to those that are injured and I hope that they have a speedy recovery," Kibunja said. "We encourage everybody in the neighborhood that we are a safe establishment."
News4 spoke to Graham who said the majority of the citizen complaints he's gotten about the club came from long-time African-American residents of the neighborhood.
Graham said trying to make him the scapegoat obscures the real issue, which is the violence in the neighborhood.
