Deep Ellum nightclub suspends operations after security guard fatally shot
The Deep Ellum nightclub where a security guard was fatally shot earlier this week is suspending operations as the investigation continues, the company said in a statement Friday.
The statement from La Tardeada said the guard, identified by police as Joseph Gray, 26, was a “dedicated and valued member” of a company that has long provided security for the business and its events.
“Our focus remains on supporting the victim’s loved ones, assisting law enforcement and ensuring the safety and well-being of our staff and patrons,” the statement reads.
The decision by La Tardeada to temporarily close comes days after two shootings — one at the nightclub, the other a few blocks away that injured five people — took place late Tuesday and early Wednesday in the entertainment district.
Police have accused Detorius Tarver Jr., 23, of shooting Gray inside the club as the security guard tried to break up a fight involving Tarver. Tarver was booked into the Dallas County jail, where he faces a murder charge. It was not clear Friday whether he had an attorney.
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The day of the shooting, Dallas City Council member Jesse Moreno, whose district includes Deep Ellum, said it was “not surprising” the shooting happened at the nightclub. He said the business has run afoul of city permitting rules and code requirements since it opened less than a year ago.
“Deep Ellum continues to receive additional police patrols and resources,” Moreno said in a statement. “However, when there are bad operators, it does not reflect the work that we do there on a daily basis and the partnerships we have there.”
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La Tardeada did not comment Friday when asked about Moreno’s remarks. Alberto Herrera, an attorney representing the business, declined to comment further, saying it would be irresponsible to make “speculative or unfounded comments pending the outcome of the investigation.”
The shootings sparked renewed concern about public safety in Deep Ellum, where residents and city leaders have been focused on violence in the entertainment district since violent crime rose there last summer.
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Last year, another nightclub, Rodeo Dallas, became a flash point for public safety concerns in the entertainment district.
The nightclub received legal warnings from the city over alleged code violations and 16 alleged crimes tied to the venue over the prior year. It was then forced to close its doors after a nearby property owner, Asana Partners, sued and persuaded a judge that the nightclub was a nuisance and a danger to the area.
The nightclub’s owners argued the business was unfairly targeted and used as a scapegoat for the district’s broader public safety issues. They ultimately left Elm Street and opened another location in Uptown.
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