Select Lounge to re-open Friday; club's attorney releases statement
Select Lounge, the site of two fatal shootings Sunday morning, will re-open Friday, manager Alex Wolde said.
The club has been closed since Sunday.
On Sunday morning, the club was the site of multiple shootings that left two men, a 33-year-old police officer, William H. Torbit Jr., and 22-year-old Sean Gamble, dead, and four others wounded.
Police have confirmed that no civilian weapons were fired that day, and that five police officers shot a total of 41 rounds at what they described as a chaotic scene.
Wolde said he was inside the club when the shootings happened, but that, at this time, he couldn't address any other questions unrelated to the club's business.
He said the club has been closed since Sunday out of respect for the victims of the shooting. The club, which opened in late October, has a seven-day liquor license, records show.
Earlier today, the club's attorneys, the Gardner Law Group, released a statement:
"Because this case involves an active ongoing investigation, any comment on the specific facts would be inappropriate at this time. Until more information becomes available, it is our hope that no conclusion will be drawn or judgment made about Select Lounge, especially since the incident took place outside of Select Lounge. In the meantime, we solemnly join the grief that has descended on Baltimore as we attempt to understand what happened and why."
Select will re-open Friday at 5 p.m. for business as usual. Wolde said there are no vigils or commemorative events planned, though the club is considering donating the weekend's earnings to the victims' families.
The club will also open Saturday and Sunday for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
In light of this latest tragedy, city officials have called for renewed discussion about security at city nightlife spots.
Before, the Velvet Rope, Suite Ultralounge, and Club Choices were among the other nightlife venues that had been linked to violent incidents.
The shooting at Select lounge also followed increased violence downtown. In December, a man and a woman were shot near The Block, on the 400 block of Water Street, within days of two other shootings in the area.
Photo: Select Lounge Facebook
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
"Before, the Velvet Rope, Suite Ultralounge, and Club Choices were among the other nightlife venues that had been linked to violent incidents."
Add Eden's Lounge to that list and it seems as if there's no where in Baltimore to party without threat of a bullet in the arse.
*sigh*
Guess I'll stick to DC clubs when I visit the area...but with the state of paltry nightlife in BMore, none of these places ever have to worry about losing business after a shooting, because frankly - there isn't anywhere else to go...
Posted by: Sucio410 | January 11, 2011 1:52 PM
Interesting, I often frequent Eden's Lounge. I always have the best time there. I never fear for my life when I visit. My friends also drive from DC & NYC when they need a change of scene. The neighborhood is safe. The food is delicious. The cocktails are very tasty. The music is fantastic. The atmosphere feels like I am back home in New York. Harold and Helen are some of the nicest owners I have ever met.
Suzanna
proud Eden's customer
Posted by: Suzanna | January 11, 2011 4:35 PM