RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - Police are investigating after a gun was fired inside the Canal Club. Police have not released information about the suspect nor what led up to the shooting. Police said no arrests have been made in this case.
No injuries were reported inside the Richmond club following the early Monday morning shooting.
Police were called to the club just before 2:00 a.m.
The Canal Club is located in Shockoe Bottom on 17th Street between Cary and Dock Streets.
For those who work and live in Shockoe Bottom, the incident signals a continuing problem of violence surrounding nightlife in the area.
"It happens almost every weekend," said Srujana Rao, who works only a block away from the Canal Club. "Whenever there is a large crowd or something, people just end up acting weird."
"I was just down here this weekend; their were about 3-4 big fights happening," Omar Coleman, who lives in Shockoe Bottom, said.
Some who work and live in the area speculated that the people causing the problems actually come from different parts of the city into Shockoe Bottom.
"If you don't observe your surroundings, anybody can sneak up on you," said Clinton Brinkley, who works as a maintenance supervisor at an apartment building one block away from where Monday morning's gunfire happened.
Brinkley said just last week, one of his tenants was robbed in the alleyway directly next to the apartment.
However, not everyone thinks Shockoe Bottom is all blue lights and police tape.
A local business owner told CBS 6 that he's seen things improving over the past few years. An increased police presence and commercial development have made Shockoe Bottom more inviting and safer, the business owner said.
"We are working closely with the Richmond Police Department investigating this incident, to determine how a gun got into the building, and will modify our own security procedures to ensure that this type of incident never happens again.
You can read their full statement here: Canal Club releases statement about club shooting.
