ATLANTA — Atlanta police are trying to figure out what triggered a barrage of gunfire at a shopping plaza off of Cheshire Bridge Road early Thursday morning.
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Channel 2′s Steve Gehlbach said he could see more than 20 shell casings marked in the plaza parking lot on Thursday morning. The plaza is home to several businesses including Club Allure Gentleman’s Club.
Gehlbach spoke with one woman who came out of the club only to see nearly a dozen bullet holes in her car which was parked in the lot.
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Police say they were called out to the plaza near the 2800 block of Cheshire Bridge Road for reports of shots fired. That’s where they found multiple cars shot up and at least one business had their front window shattered from the gunfire.
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Channel 2′s Tom Jones was in northeast Atlanta, where a homeowner who didn’t want to be identified said the shootout would start, stop and then start again.
“Clearly four or five shooters. Clearly an automatic weapon. It was horrifying,” he told Jones. “It was a very terrifying 30 minutes, not knowing if a stray bullet was going to come flying through the house at me.”
People who live in the Lindridge Martin Manor community said that the Allure club customers park illegally, destroy their property, fire weapons and generally cause mayhem. Some people said they had to hit the floor and protect their children after the most recent gunfire.
No one was hurt this time, but neighbors are worried about the next time.
“It’s only a matter of time before that’s a person,” another neighbor said.
City councilwoman Jennifer Ide said the city is working to address the problem. She said the club has been on the city’s radar all year long for violating its liquor license.
“We did take a case to the license review board,” Ide said. “They will be sanctioned.”
Ide said the club will be shut down for five days starting Thursday.
Neighbors said they want a long-term solution so they can get their peace of mind back. Some even said they are thinking of moving away.
Jones reached out to the club to get their side of the story, but hasn’t heard back.
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