A 24 year-old Peachtree City man was shot and killed outside an Atlanta club over the weekend.
Morie Brooks was shot once in the back outside the QUAD on Spring Street at around 4 a.m. on Saturday morning, within feet of the Varsity Restaurant in downtown Atlanta after an argument between two groups inside the club over a woman.
According to club owner Rick Day, the surveillance tapes and even information from his own staff doesn’t indicate, as had been previously said, that there had been any altercation wihin the club itself.
The suspects had popped on the internal club radar for a variety of reasons, just one being the fact that, during a brief weapons pat down when they entered, one had been found to be carrying a great deal of money- possibly up to $4,000.
“The security officer warned him to be careful about flashing that much cash around because you never know what can happen. He pretty much told her not to worry about. He had a gun in his car and could take care of himself.”
Day says the altercation seemed to occur when these two different groups, one of which included the victim, were trying to get out the exit door.
“There was some bumping and pushing and you could see on the video that words were exchanged.”
The groups then parted ways, with the supsect group heading off to the nearby Arby’s parking lot, which, according to Day, is under his control as an alternative parking area, north up Spring Street and the other group headed south toward Concentra.
“When the victim, his friends and brother were in the Lanier [parking] lot next to Concentra at 688 Spring, a further altercation developed.”
The suspects were seen driving south on Spring Street, heading out through the other parking lot, making a u-turn and heading back, before stopping Brooks and shooting him. Brooks collapsed after running across the street, up against the wall of the Urgent Care Center on Spring, where he died in his brother’s arms. Witnesses from both groups were in sight of the shooting.
Day identified the shooter as a black man in his 20s with dreadlocks and wearing a pea jacket. Three other men were also black, in their 20s. The driver, who may have been wearing a plaid shirt, fled in a late model green Toyota Camry.
The video clearly shows the shooter flashing gang signs, pointing and yelling at Brooks. Police have not yet provided the name of the suspected gunman.
Brooks was described as the youngest of five children in his family and the father of an 18-month old son.
Day says he’s released surveillance and other video to the APD.
“This is about getting justice for this young man and his family.”
On Tuesday night, Day said the club’s door receipts would be collected to be donated to the family to help offset funeral costs.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477
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