June 5, 2007
Questions Remain in H2O Shutdown
As Southwest's H2O night club enters its second week of a city-imposed shutdown after a weekend shooting left one man dead outside the club in late May, questions remain as to what happened and why the club remains shuttered.
In a hearing before the D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Board last Thursday, city officials forcefully argued that the club remained a threat and revealed that Rashod Holmes, the gunman accused of killing Nelson Able outside the club in the wee hours of May 27, had bypassed club security and entered the establishment with the gun he eventually turned on Able. After being called an "absolute atrocity" and a "threat to the citizens of the District," the board voted to keep the club closed until this Wednesday, pending further information into what happened that night.
Today the City Paper reports that the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington sent a letter to D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier on May 28, arguing against the continued shutdown of H20. They wrote:
We are extremely concerned by the summary suspension of the alcoholic beverage license of one of our members, H2O, in the wake of the killing outside of the premises on Sunday morning.Obviously, the news that a gun might have been carried into the club that night has muddied the club's argument that it did nothing wrong -- especially if Holmes did bypass security as he claims. Still, city officials have yet to highlight exactly how the club may have violated provisions of the law or its own license, given that both sides seem to agree that both men were removed from the club and the shooting happened a block away. Similarly, police have been less than forthcoming in detailing whether or not the club has ever been a hot-spot for trouble (initial reports indicated it had not; later reports seemed to say it has). Finally, city officials should have to respond to a question we've asked in the past -- had this happened elsewhere, say a restaurant or outside a stadium, would the response have been the same?Although our information comes only from published reports and we may not have all of the facts provided to you by police investigators, it seems that this tragic killing was not in any way the fault of the establishment. The fact that the incident occurred does not necessarily mean that there is “an additional imminent danger to the health and welfare of the public” by not closing the establishment.
Based on newspaper accounts, it appears that this horrible incident occurred between two criminals, one of whom kept an illegal firearm in his car, but never even brought it into the establishment. We are at a loss to understand how a restaurant can or should be held accountable for acts of violence perpetrated by those with illegal handguns outside its premises.
We're hoping that future hearings and the investigation can clear up what happened, who was in the wrong and what steps can be taken in the future to prevent such recurring acts of violence.
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Uh, isn't this a bit hypocritical? DC has a ban on handguns, and yet criminals continue to own them and bring them into the city. Shouldn't we shut down the whole district because these criminals continue to get past DC police?
Any chance H20 could have male strippers?
After being called an "absolute atrocity" and a "threat to the citizens of the District," the board voted to keep the club closed until this Wednesday, pending further information into what happened that night.
The D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Board was called an atrocity and a threat to the citizens of the District?
Yes, I am being facetious. You might want to clean up your grammar.
Holmes admitted in his police report that security did not mind him carrying a gun into the club. The security there needs to be scrutinized, and most likely fired. How does this make DC hypocritical? You are not suppose to have a gun, following the fcking laws!
H20 security should've followed the law as well and now they are suffering for it. Also, it was said that(still debatable) that it was over a spilled bottle of Cristol at 4am. There is to be no alcohol out at that hour.
Where does it say the security "did not mind him carrying a gun into the club?"
The only thing I saw in the Post story was Holmes said "H2O's staff recognized him and allowed him to bypass security; as it turned out, police said, Holmes had a gun."
To me that just says they didn't check him for a gun, not that they knew he had a gun.
I was a little quick on the "post" button there. Meant to add that I still consider that a screw up by the club, if Holmes is telling the truth. But a slightly different type of screw up than knowingly allowing a gun into the club.
That post article is old as the investigation has found out more info.
Nobody should be above being checked at the door at clubs if that is their policy - esp ghetto athletes.
I don't think they deserve to be shut down for good, but they really need to investiagate the whole club on this matter, which I believe they are doing.
I guess it's somehow worth going to jail over a $600 bottle of champagne.
I hate people who carry guns.
I'm with chrisafer--maybe we should shut down H20 and turn it into gay male strip clubs, and kill two birds with one stone!
Me, I'd rather have gay male strippers in my neighborhood, but I think all the new buildings in Columbia Heights don't have appropriate spaces...
This happened at 3:45 am long after the club was supposed to be closed. According to the Post, H20 had been warned previously to close after last call. They ignored the rule so they have to deal with the consequences.
Nobody should be above being checked at the door at clubs if that is their policy - esp ghetto athletes. I don't think they deserve to be shut down for good, but they really need to investiagate the whole club on this matter.....
you say "esp ghetto athletes?"...but then you say "investiAgate???".....REALLY!!!