Club Nocturnal shooting in Miami - One dead,6 wounded

Video from: http://nbcmiami.com.

Brandon Marquis Mcghee

From the Miami Herald:

Bursts of gun fire sent patrons fleeing for their lives for the second time in two months in downtown Miami’s hottest round-the-clock nightclub scene.

This time, one partier didn’t make it.

A 3 a.m. Sunday argument in Nocturnal, one of a handful of popular after-hours dance clubs in Miami’s Park West Entertainment District, left one man dead and sent hundreds of people inside the cavernous club scurrying for the exits.

About five hours later, with the pounding music from adjacent Club Space still faintly audible on Northeast 11th Street, Miami police wheeled out the body of Brandon Marquis McGhee, 26, of North Miami, who died of multiple gunshot wounds.

What's not included in the Herald story is that the victim, McGhee, had a lengthy rap sheet for offenses in Miami-Dade county that include grand theft auto, resisting arrest and burglary. Last November he was arrested by Boca Raton cops for illegal use of a credit card and possession of marijuana.

Some might ask, "What does McGhee's arrest record have to do with anything?" Oh, I don't know...except maybe the kinds of people these places attract. In the NBC6 video above, the witness says he saw gang signs being thrown just before the shooting.

Five years ago, Miami Herald contributor Lesley Abravanel addressed the subject of club violence in a column that quoted a publicist for Nocturnal:

Some people go to great lengths to get their groove on. In Miami lately, that has meant braving some random spurts of nasty violence - specifically in the area of Northeast 11th Street, where the likes of Club Space, Nocturnal , Twilo and Studio A are located. While people aren't yet donning Gucci-designed bulletproof vests in the neighborhood, this summer, four separate shootings have occurred in the vicinity, leaving one man dead and nine others hospitalized. Another clubgoer was stabbed to death in Club Metropolis in May. A big meeting recently took place in which many club owners discussed the escalating violence. ``It was a very hot topic,'' says Denise Grant, publicist and special events point person at Nocturnal . ``Everybody is concerned.

`` Nocturnal has worked diligently to bring a different, more discerning upscale crowd downtown,'' Grant tells us. ``Our concern is that the negative press that some of our nightlife neighbors are receiving is going to drown out the positive buzz that we've generated.''

Five years later, I'm not sure if Grant is still Nocturnal's publicist. What I am sure of is that when acts like this are booked it all but guarantees you won't be drawing a "more discerning, upscale crowd."

Last year, Miami New Times staff writer Natalie O'Neill tackled the subject of club violence:

At 3 a.m. inside Studio A, a man with no shirt and a black scull cap chest-bumps Darnell. The guy is only five-foot-two, but he wears an intense facial expression. One female friend overhears him say, "Don't worry about it — I got something for you," according to police reports. Then he pulls out a black handgun. From the center of the club, gunshots pepper the smoky air — crack-crack — and the crowd scatters.

A female bartender ducks for cover under the bar and then faints. Girls drop their purses and run outside. Clubbers leave behind high heels, crack rocks, and bags of weed, according to cops on the scene. Darnell's lifeless body is left behind on the floor.

Outside, Officer T. Jones sees customers fleeing and reports there's "a male down inside" the club.

The club closes two weeks later.

On another note, Miami police have a real problem here. Apparently not many of the hundreds of patrons inside the club stuck around to talk with them following the gunfire. The Miami Police Department press release doesn't even have a description of the shooter or shooters.

NEWS RELEASE

Public Information Office, 400 NW 2 Ave., Room 220, Miami, Florida 33128

Today, shortly after 3:00 AM, Miami Police officers responded to Club Nocturnal located at 50 Northeast 11 Street, after learning that several people had been shot inside the club.

According to the on-scene investigation, several patrons inside the club began arguing, minutes later gunfire erupted. As a result, seven people were struck by the gunfire. In fear for their lives, hundreds of patrons from inside the club began running out front and exit doors.

Miami Fire Rescue transported five wounded victims with non-life threatening injuries to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Unit. One other wounded victim was taken by friends to Jackson Memorial Hospital as well.

The fatally wounded victim, who died on the scene has been identified as Brandon Marquis McGhee, D.O.B. 1/28/85.

Miami Police Homicide detectives need to speak with patrons who may have left Club Nocturnal immediately after the incident. The number to call is (305) 603-6350. Others with potential information are urged to contact detectives at (305) 603-6350 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).

The investigation continues…