Security insiders and customers discuss safety after 6 shootings and 2 deaths at Buckhead Lounge

Hours after deadly gunfire erupted at the Elleven45 Lounge in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood, some customers reluctantly returned.

“We really didn’t want to all come back here,” Jahabia Buford said.

She and Shahia Roberts had to retrieve the keys they left behind when they took cover.

“The moment it happened I was run over. People were lying on top of me and I couldn’t get up. It was crazy,” Roberts said.

Lt. Andrew Smith, head of the Atlanta Police Department’s homicide unit, said officers showed up at the club about 2:30 a.m. Sunday after a fight escalated into a shooting at the club.

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He said one person fired a gun and fled. Two people, a man and a woman, died. Four others were hospitalized.

“It is tragic and my condolences and prayers go out to the families suffering their loss,” said Trevor Young.

Young is a risk reduction specialist who has studied security science and worked for nearly 30 years, much of it in Atlanta’s nightlife scene.

“When something like this happens, I pull out a pen and pad and we get to work. Something has to be done,” Young said.

He said nightclubs should hire a security service to patrol the premises and look for weapons.

“While I was here, people were being checked and there was a heavy police presence in the area,” Young said.

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Now he said that the Eleven45 team should check the cameras.

“You have to analyze every incident, figure out what happened, what happened and what we can do to make it better,” Young said.

He said the company has an opportunity to share potentially life-saving solutions with security forces across the city in the next few months. The Mayor’s Office hosts a quarterly training session for nightlife industry insiders. It is aimed at employees of all businesses that are open late, including grocery stores and restaurants.

“Connect with safety, security, connect with police and build a stronger network,” Young said. “Everyone in the nightlife industry should be a part of it.”

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For now, customers want answers and an arrest.

“It was a nightmare,” Buford said.

Channel 2 action news reached out to Elleven45 to see if anyone would like to share information.

The lounge released the following statement on its Instagram account:

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