MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Wednesday, law enforcement posted a letter from the Shelby County District Attorney's Office on the door of the Memphis club James’ Lounge, warning them to upgrade security or face being shut down.
The letter from District Attorney Steve Mulroy calls for James’ Lounge ownership to take “immediate actions” after a shooting early Wednesday morning that left two men dead and sent another to the hospital with serious injuries.
Those actions are: hiring enough licensed security guards to watch over the property, enroll all the club’s surveillance cameras in the city’s Connect2Memphis program and consider closing temporarily if ownership cannot keep crime from getting out of hand at the club.
If those changes are not made, the letter said they could seek a court injunction to declare the property a public nuisance, which happened previously in 2016, which could lead to the club closing temporarily or even permanently.
It is welcome news to people living nearby in Highland Heights, who say this club is a magnet for drag racing and gunfire. One eight-year resident said he heard the gunshots ringing out from the recent shooting early Wednesday morning.
“It (sounded) like an automatic rifle,” said Frank Rector. “They pulled the trigger about twice and there was probably about 10 shots.”
Rector said this isn’t the first time he’s heard gunfire so close to his house.
“Once a month I’ll hear gunshots from the bar. There’s no doubt about it, at least once a month,” he said. “It’s scary. It’s scary.”
James’ Lounge was the site of another deadly shooting in 2019. Rector said the club sees large crowds about three times a week. After it closes, neighbors say the patrons start drag racing up and down Hillcrest Street.
“This street, they’ll come from the corner and race all the way down, burning rubber and then turn around and come back,” said Jennifer Campbell, another neighbor.
Longtime resident Deborah Glass said it was just days ago that a car almost hit her.
“Three or four days ago, somebody was zigzagging and speeding and almost hit me down here,” she said.
Campbell wants the club shut down for good.
“It should be closed down,” she said. “It's a nuisance to the neighborhood and to the city.”
Other neighbors like Rector and Glass would at least like to see a greater police presence from MPD.
“The nights that the bar is busy, if they were here like when they get out of the bar, that would be a big help,” Rector said.
Late Wednesday afternoon, a man in a white pickup truck wearing a blue blazer showed up to James’ Lounge and removed the letter from the D.A.’s office.
When asked if he was the owner of James’ Lounge, his only comment was that they will be cooperating with the district attorney’s office.