Atlanta mayor blames recent nightclub shootings on governor’s handling of COVID-19

November 6, 2020 Atlanta: Atlanta police congregate behind crime scene tape after a fight outside a downtown Atlanta nightclub devolved into chaos Friday morning, Nov. 6, 2020 when someone started shooting and two off-duty police officers attempted to intervene. According to Atlanta police, two people were killed by the gunfire and several others were injured, including one person hit by a vehicle when the crowd scattered outside the Monaco Hookah Lounge on Trinity Avenue. The two officers, who were not injured, were in uniform working a security job at the club. Police have been called to investigate shootings at the Monaco twice in the past 24 hours. Two people were wounded there early Thursday, but investigators have no evidence that incident was related to Friday morningÕs deadly bout of gunfire, according to Atlanta police Deputy Chief Timothy Peek. It all started Friday shortly after 3 a.m. when an argument between two groups turned physical in the parking lot, Peek told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution from the scene. ÒThat physical altercation escalated into an exchange of gunfire with those groups,Ó Peek said. ÒTwo police officers who were working at that particular club, or lounge, noticed the altercation and engaged some of the people involved. There was an exchange of gunfire with police as well.Ó Two of the people injured by the gunfire were stable Friday morning, and one was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Peek said investigators believe the person hit by the vehicle was involved in the initial dispute. That person was expected to survive, he said. Bullets were flying in several directions across the scattered crime scene, Peek said, and police have not determined who fired the fatal shots. They have called in the GBI to investigate the incident as an officer-involved shooting. Peek called the scene Òpretty chaotic.Ó There could be additional shooting victims that have yet to turn up, the deputy chief said. ÒThe officers did shoot, but we want to ensure we look at the evidence and be able to prove who did what," he said. ÒThatÕs why we are dependent on the GBI.Ó It is the 82nd officer-involved shooting the GBI has been asked to investigate this year. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also tracks officer-involved shootings that donÕt involve the GBI, and those numbers sometimes differ from the GBIÕs tally. (John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com)