Man shot to death at home following argument at night club
A 37-year-old Chattanooga man was killed after the violence of a fight that started Thursday night at a downtown nightclub followed him to his Greenwood Road home.
Chattanooga Police spokeswoman Sgt. Jerri Weary said Reginald Clark was at Fire & Ice, one of a handful of downtown nightclubs that has been a source of friction between residents in the Loveman's condos, across the street from the club at 807 Market St., and Chattanooga Police.
Clark's friends told police he got into an argument with some men and then he left the nightclub sometime before 3 a.m. He traveled to his home at 1644 Greenwood Road, located off Wilcox Boulevard, where his mother and sister found his body Friday morning, eight and one-half hours later, Weary said. He was apparently shot to death, she said.
Family and friends stood outside Clark's home waiting for Chattanooga Police to allow them inside the house. One man, who identified himself as Clark's uncle, said he didn't believe the incident was gang-related.
He also wanted people to know that the neighborhood is a safe place. His nephew's death had to do with the crowd at the club, he said. He didn't wish to give his name, noting that his mother lives next door to Clark.
Friday evening, yellow crime tape trailed around the small yard of the white frame house. Bloody gauze lay in the yard and on the road. Officer J. Plumlee guarded the residence, waiting for inspectors to return to the scene. Friends and family gathered around, waiting to go inside the house.
"Inspector Parks will be down here soon and he will talk to you," said Officer Plumlee. "I'm sorry but I can't let you in right now."
No one had been arrested by Friday evening.
Fire & Ice had its beer license suspended for 30 days for a violation on Aug. 14, and club representatives recently appeared before the Chattanooga Beer and Wrecker Board, where they rescheduled a hearing for an incident that happened Sept. 10. According to police reports, an officer was sitting outside the club at closing time and a large crowd came out and began fighting beside the patrol car.
The officer called for backup and the crowd started breaking up, with some groups continuing to fight while others either left or stayed and watched. One group started punching and kicking a man who was on the ground unconscious, according to reports.
The club can continue to sell alcohol such as wine and liquor by the drink because that license is granted by the state and the local police regulatory board cannot regulate that.
