Several witnesses watched in horror as a man lay shot in front of his Atlanta nightclub last weekend, 911 calls released by police Tuesday reveal.
Michael Gidewon, 50, was shot at least once and pronounced dead at the Republic Lounge on Saturday morning, officials said. Gidewon and his brother Alex, who co-own Republic, have owned and operated some of metro Atlanta’s most popular clubs over the years, including Vision and Compound.
“There was literally just a murder outside our window,” a 911 caller said. “We just heard gunshots and there is a guy lying on the ground.”
Ken Lucas, a security guard at the nightclub, told Channel 2 Action News that the shooting came after a man was asked to leave the club at about 7 a.m.
Another witness stood over Gidewon as she spoke to a dispatcher. She said she stepped outside of the lounge and immediately noticed someone was shot. At that point, the woman said the victim was still breathing.
“Someone shot the owner. He’s on the floor right now. I think he shot him in the head,” the woman said.
At least three of the 911 callers said a suspect was seen walking away from the scene. Two of them gave a detailed description and said the suspected shooter headed toward Howell Mill Road.
“He was in a white-and-black shirt, got a long beard and a black hat on,” the caller said.
Police have not provided a description of the suspect or said what led up to the shooting.
Bert Weiss, who has been the creator and primary host of the Bert Show on what is now the top 40 station Q99.7, met Gidewon in 2001 soon after he launched his show. They quickly became friends, and the radio station would host special Friday nights at Gidewon’s Vision nightclub in Midtown from 2003 to 2006.
“He had an amazing combination of warmth, fun and professionalism,” Weiss said. “He carried himself with honor, respect and dignity.”
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