Police were called to Spanky’s East Gentlemen’s Club in Wilson Borough early Saturday morning on reports of a shooting.
Officers responded to reports of shots fired at the strip club on the 1700 block of Butler Street at around 2:09 a.m. Shortly after arriving, police were notified that 28-year-old Rashad Jones and 36-year-old Derek Lamont Rada has both walked to nearby Easton Hospital with gunshot wounds. Both were listed in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.
Later that day, a third victim showed up at St. Luke’s Hospital-Anderson Campus in Bethlehem Township. 36-year-old Norwood Thomas had a gunshot wound to his right leg, which he also suffered during the shooting inside of Spanky’s. He was treated and released.
The suspected shooter is a man in his late 20s to early 30s. Police believe that he and at least one of the victims may know each other.
Attorney contributor Guy D'Andrea represents shooting victims and their families in civil lawsuits, helping them recover the financial support they need and deserve. Here are some of his thoughts on bar and nightclub owner liability for shootings:
The owners of bars, nightclubs, and all other types of businesses have a legal obligation to make sure their customers, employees, and others who visit their businesses are safe. Legally, these property owners are required to protect against foreseeable dangers, including violent crime. While not all violent crime is foreseeable, some bar and nightclub shootings only occur due to the property owner’s failure to meet their legal obligation to safety – also known as negligence.
For example, a club owner might be considered negligent if their business had a history of violent incidents but no preventative measures were taken to improve safety – such as hiring security guards or adding metal detectors to entrances. When negligence is involved in a bar or nightclub shooting, the victims and their families may have grounds for a lawsuit.
If you or a loved one has been wounded or killed in a bar or nightclub shooting, we understand how difficult this time is for your family. If you’d like to learn more about your legal options, consider contacting one of our experienced shooting victim lawyers for a free consultation.