Shortly after 2 a.m. on Friday, July 13, police were called to Club Infuzion in Scott’s Addition, just outside of Richmond, on reports of gunshots. After arriving at the scene, officers discovered one man dead inside the nightclub – the victim was identified as 46-year-old Terrance C. Peters. Police also found that two men had gone to a hospital in a personal car and that a fourth man was found in a car away from the scene. These three men suffered injuries that were considered non-life-threatening.
The club’s liquor license was revoked the day after the shooting. Less than a week after the shooting, ownership announced that Club Infuzion would be permanently shut down.
This was the second shooting to occur at Club Infuzion within the past four years. In June of 2014, two victims were shot at the club. Both of them were fortunate enough to survive.
Attorney contributor Kevin Biniazan has some thoughts on liability when violence occurs at a private business:
Keeping your premises safe is a crucial aspect of being a responsible business owner. All business owners have a legal obligation to prevent any reasonably foreseeable dangers that could end up hurting their customers or employees. In nightlife settings, screening for weapons can help greatly reduce the risk of violent crime. In cases involving crimes committed because of inadequate or negligent security measures, business owners may be held liable for damages by the people who were injured during the violent crime (or their families, in fatal incident cases).
Like all legal cases, determining liability is highly dependent on the unique and specific circumstances of a particular case. Victims of violent crime and their families should consider speaking with an experienced gun crime lawyer to better understand their legal rights.