D.C. Councilman Jim Graham has scheduled a hearing for Thursday on a nightclub shooting that killed a 17-year-old District girl Saturday.
Graham, D-Ward 1, said he will consider emergency legislation to restrict minors from nightclubs where alcohol is served.
“The fact [is] that you had a 17-year-old in a nightclub at 2:45 a.m.,” Graham said. “This was an event geared toward teenagers, don’t lose sight of that.”
Police said Taleshia Ford, of Northeast, was a bystander to what they believed was an argument between an armed man and a club security guard. The man appeared shortly after a female patron was forced to leave because she was allegedly found with marijuana, according to a police press release. Police continued investigating Monday, a spokesman said.
On Monday, the owner of the club where the teen was accidentally shot and killed turned over his nightclub license voluntarily, the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration said.
Smart Aziken, 44, turned in his license just days before he was to appear for a hearing followingunrelated violations reported in May, ABRA spokesman Jeff Coudriet said. Aziken has owned the 1919 Club, located at 1919 Ninth St. in Northwest, since 2004, Coudriet said.
Aziken, whose club had been ordered closed temporarily by Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier, did not return a phone message Monday seeking comment.
“He’s definitely not going to reopen with alcohol,” Coudriet said.
There is nothing in District law that restricts minors from entering establishments where alcohol is served, with the exception of liquor stores during school hours, Coudriet said.
Graham said he was not sure yet how possible legislation might affect other area establishments.
“We’ve got to have a careful look at this. I don’t want to be clumsy with this or ineffective,” Graham said.
Black Cat owner Dante Ferrano, whose club serves alcohol and is popular among high school students, said Monday he was trying to reach Graham. The legislation could “have a very detrimental effect,” he said.
“Our underground music scene has historically been a positive thing for youth,” Ferrano said. “I hope that it would not be legislation that would keep kids from seeing live music.”
