Raleigh Police ask for help to solve fatal shooting
RALEIGH, NC (WTVD) -- Raleigh police are asking for the public's help to solve a fatal shooting.
Officers say they found 26-year-old Vernon Jones Jr. with several gunshot wounds in a parking lot on the corner of West Hargett and South West streets just after 3 a.m. The location is a short distance from Club Bodi.
He later died.
Police said they believe Jones may have been in a crowd seen rushing from the club earlier. There is a surveillance camera outside Club Bodi, and police are asking anyone who was in the crowd to come forward with any information that could lead to a suspect.
Someone who was on the dance floor - and did not give their name - said the party ended when someone fired a gun inside. As people tried to leave, the gunfire continued outside.
"We heard five rounds go off," said Brenna McDaniel, who lives nearby and was watching a movie with her boyfriend. "We were scared, we were terrified."
In a statement, the club's attorney, Greg Seibert, pointed out the shooting happened two blocks from the club.
"CCBI and Raleigh detectives thoroughly searched Bodi nightclub early this morning and have come to the conclusion that no customers were shot or assaulted inside the club," said Seibert.
Seibert said the people involved in the shooting "to our knowledge were not patrons nor members of the club and is not related to our business in any way."
While police work to find a suspect, Club Bodi's business neighbors remember a shooting there earlier this year.
"This seems to be happening, too prevalent," said Chad Gardner.
Gardner, who is with Trolley Pub, referred to a double shooting at Club Bodi in August.
One man was shot in the face and police rushed inside with guns to hunt down a shooter.
Gardner is in the business of fun and wants to keep it that way in the warehouse district.
"Raleigh has a lot going on, very progressive, got a lot of good money coming in," Gardner said. "People should be able to have fun without having to worry about shootings."
