Wesley Heights residents say Club 935 draws violence into neighborhood

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — People in one Charlotte neighborhood said they are fed up with violence on their streets; violence that they said is caused by a local club.

They packed into a community meeting on Tuesday night demanding change, and for the first time, Eyewitness News talked to the clubs owner to get answers.

There was hardly any elbow room inside the Wallace Pruitt Center on Tuckaseegee Road on Tuesday night.

As more than 50 people packed in to talk with police about violence spilling onto the streets of the Wesley Heights neighborhood.

"I think anybody would be frustrated by people shooting in their neighborhood," said Kori Derr.

Residents like Deer say the cause is Club 935.

In February, Eyewitness News reported that a man was shot and killed in a parking lot near the club.

Neighbors told Eyewitness News they are concerned about other violence since then.

"We hear the shots, you know people's cars have been shot, I don't think anybody wants to live in a place where they have to worry about that," said Deer.

So far this year there have been 42 crime events so far this year in the area compared with 39 last year, which is a 7.5 percent increase.

They said that crimes that contribute to armed robberies, homicides and assaults.

On Tuesday night, people living there talked face to face with police.

"We can't allow any more violence out here, we can't allow any more activity that's disrupting this neighborhood to the point that they're coming out and speaking their minds because their upset and they have a right to be," said Deputy Chief Eddie Levins.

Levins said while the club does employ eight to 10 officers, he is not happy with all the resources being used to keep problems out of the neighborhood.

"We need to have some hard discussions with the club owner to say you are responsible for what goes on inside and of your patrons when they're leaving," said Levins.

"I can't control what people do once they leave the club. We try to make sure it's a safe environment inside the club, we got extra security, we got extra police officers outside," said the club owner, "We want to be a good neighbor, and we can function as one. We're concerned about anything that happens on our property, outside the property, in the neighborhood. We want to be a good neighbor."

Levins said he planned to talk to the owner Tuesday night.

WSOC