Skip to content
NOWCAST WXII 12 News at 8 a.m. Saturday
Live Now
Advertisement

Greensboro shooting at Electric Tequila: 'They value profits over their patrons,' says mayor

Greensboro's mayor, Nancy Vaughan, is calling for establishments to take more responsibility after a nightclub shooting Friday night

Greensboro shooting at Electric Tequila: 'They value profits over their patrons,' says mayor

Greensboro's mayor, Nancy Vaughan, is calling for establishments to take more responsibility after a nightclub shooting Friday night

BELIEVE THIS WAS A RANDOM ACT OF VIOLENCE. AND ANOTHER TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED AFTER A SHOOTING AT A NIGHTCLUB IN GREENSBORO FRIDAY NIGHT. THE MAYOR OF GREENSBORO, NANCY VAUGHN, WAS RIDING WITH POLICE WHEN THEY RESPONDED TO THE CALL AT ELECTRIC TEQUILA. WHEN I DROVE UP, I WAS SURPRISED THERE WERE ALL OF THESE TRAFFIC CONES, ALL OVER THE PARKING LOT, REALLY FROM PEMBROKE DOWN TO THE WALGREENS. AND I REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS THAT THEY HAD ACTUALLY RUN OUT OF EVIDENCE MARKERS AND STARTED USING TRAFFIC CONES. I BELIEVE THEY MIGHT HAVE RUN OUT OF TRAFFIC CONES. THERE WERE SO MANY BULLET CASINGS. AND WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM POLICE ABOUT A SUSPECT. MAYOR VAUGHN SAYS ELECTRIC TEQUILA HAS HAD A NUMBER OF SAFETY ISSUES AND SHE WOULD
Advertisement
Greensboro shooting at Electric Tequila: 'They value profits over their patrons,' says mayor

Greensboro's mayor, Nancy Vaughan, is calling for establishments to take more responsibility after a nightclub shooting Friday night

Greensboro's mayor, Nancy Vaughan, is calling for establishments to take more responsibility after a nightclub shooting. TOP STORIES2 Hospitalized in Greensboro shooting, SundayTwo arrested after Winston-Salem pursuitLatest on fire in Henderson County, North Carolina Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here Vaughan told WXII she was riding along with Greensboro police on Nov. 3, Friday night."I had a feeling Friday would be active because of Halloween and homecoming for A&T," she said. Tens of thousands of people were in Greensboro that weekend, and Vaughan also wanted to connect with Greensboro police. Vaughan explained she does these ride-alongs periodically.Then, she said, a call came on the scanner about a shooting at Electric Tequila Bar and Grill, located on Battleground Avenue.When Greensboro police arrived, they found out two people had been shot and gone to the hospital by private car. Most of the other patrons were gone by the time Vaughan and police arrived. But, there was plenty of evidence. There were so many shell casings, according to Vaughan, that Greensboro police had to start using traffic cones instead of evidence markers. Vaughan saw traffic cones "from Pembrook to Walgreens" and believes the department even ran out of traffic cones, eventually.Greensboro police have not yet been able to share details on this shooting. Electric Tequila's phone is disconnected, so WXII was not able to reach them for comment. Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscastsThis isn't the first time Electric Tequila has been at the center of safety concerns. Mayor Vaughan said the mayor's office cannot close a business, but it is now filing a nuisance abatement, in an effort to get the business to either change or shut down. "There are many bars in the city of Greensboro that operate with no issues at all," said Vaughan. "It's obvious to me value profits over their patrons."There have been conversations between the landlord and other businesses regarding the issue, too. "Obviously, they know the concerns because it's their business," Vaughan said. "They are making a choice to operate in a certain manner ... The business owner and the landlord need to take responsibility."It's why Vaughan suggests the city of Greensboro bring back discussion of an entertainment ordinance. She said Greensboro's "Safety Review" had been successful, but more work is needed. "Since COVID, we have seen such a rise in crime at some of these places that I think people may be more likely to support it now [...] Cities across the country are having this very same issue, and we take it very seriously," Vaughan said.Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.That same night, in an unrelated incident, Vaughan was with police when they responded to a domestic homicide. She emphasized to WXII that domestic violence has also been on the rise since COVID-19 and urged people in those situations to reach out for help. NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |

Greensboro's mayor, Nancy Vaughan, is calling for establishments to take more responsibility after a nightclub shooting.

Advertisement

TOP STORIES

Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here

Vaughan told WXII she was riding along with Greensboro police on Nov. 3, Friday night.

"I had a feeling Friday would be active because of Halloween and homecoming for A&T," she said.

Tens of thousands of people were in Greensboro that weekend, and Vaughan also wanted to connect with Greensboro police. Vaughan explained she does these ride-alongs periodically.

Then, she said, a call came on the scanner about a shooting at Electric Tequila Bar and Grill, located on Battleground Avenue.

When Greensboro police arrived, they found out two people had been shot and gone to the hospital by private car. Most of the other patrons were gone by the time Vaughan and police arrived. But, there was plenty of evidence.

There were so many shell casings, according to Vaughan, that Greensboro police had to start using traffic cones instead of evidence markers. Vaughan saw traffic cones "from Pembrook to Walgreens" and believes the department even ran out of traffic cones, eventually.

Greensboro police have not yet been able to share details on this shooting.

Electric Tequila's phone is disconnected, so WXII was not able to reach them for comment.

Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscasts

This isn't the first time Electric Tequila has been at the center of safety concerns. Mayor Vaughan said the mayor's office cannot close a business, but it is now filing a nuisance abatement, in an effort to get the business to either change or shut down.

"There are many bars in the city of Greensboro that operate with no issues at all," said Vaughan. "It's obvious to me [Electric Tequila] value profits over their patrons."

There have been conversations between the landlord and other businesses regarding the issue, too.

"Obviously, they know the concerns because it's their business," Vaughan said. "They are making a choice to operate in a certain manner ... The business owner and the landlord need to take responsibility."

It's why Vaughan suggests the city of Greensboro bring back discussion of an entertainment ordinance. She said Greensboro's "Safety Review" had been successful, but more work is needed.

"Since COVID, we have seen such a rise in crime at some of these places that I think people may be more likely to support it now [...] Cities across the country are having this very same issue, and we take it very seriously," Vaughan said.

Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.

That same night, in an unrelated incident, Vaughan was with police when they responded to a domestic homicide. She emphasized to WXII that domestic violence has also been on the rise since COVID-19 and urged people in those situations to reach out for help.

NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |