Family of man killed in downtown Macon shooting files lawsuit against nightclub owners
The family of a man killed last month in a downtown shooting have filed a lawsuit in state court against a Macon nightclub, alleging its owners “created, fostered and encouraged an environment of violence...”
The shooting reportedly began in the early morning hours of July 24 after a fight on a sidewalk along Cherry Street, according to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office. When police arrived, they found Donovan Munir Cason, 20 of Macon, dead. Kabryan Johnson, 21 of Macon, was taken to a local hospital with a gunshot wound, where he later died.
Sources familiar with the shooting investigation have said “a beef” or dispute inside the Turtle at 425 Cherry St. led to gunfire outside around the nearby intersection at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard about 12:45 a.m.
Kabryan Johnson’s family, represented by the Macon-based law firms of Adams, Jordan & Herrington and Adams Law Firm, filed the civil lawsuit Thursday “...to ensure that all parties responsible for his untimely death are held accountable,” according to a press release from the law firms.
“Although Kabryan’s family is confident that local law enforcement will apprehend and the District Attorney’s Office will thereafter prosecute the actual shooter(s), the family demands those civilly responsible are brought to justice as well,” the press release read. “The owners and operators of the Thirsty Turtle have a legal duty to provide a safe environment for their patrons.”
Last week, Bibb County Sheriff David Davis suspended the Thirsty Turtle’s liquor license for 90 days.
“The severity of the injury and loss of life occurring in this incident ranks it among the worst acts of violence Downtown Macon-Bibb County has seen in recent years,” Davis wrote in a letter informing club operator Timothy D. Obelgoner of the license suspension. “There appears to be some tangible nexus between the operations of the Thirsty Turtle and this incident.”
Johnson’s family is asking for, among other things, punitive damages.
A shooting in late November outside of the nightclub, mentioned in the lawsuit. killed one man and injured six others.
This story was originally published August 5, 2021 at 5:46 PM.
