In the early morning hours of July 5, 2020, a night of music and socializing at the Lavish Lounge in Greenville, South Carolina, turned into a scene of chaos and tragedy. Mykala Marshay “Kala” Bell, a 23-year-old mother of two, was fatally shot in an incident that authorities later described as appearing to be gang-related. Bell was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of a dispute that erupted near the stage where the rapper Foogiano was performing.
The sudden outbreak of
gunfire resulted in the deaths of Mykala Bell and a security guard, 51-year-old Clarence Sterling Johnson. Eight other people were also injured in the shooting. Family members remember Mykala as a vibrant and devoted single mother to her two young children, a son and a daughter. Her death left her family and community heartbroken over the senseless loss of a young life full of promise.
In the aftermath of the shooting, an investigation led to the arrest of Jarquez Kezavion Cooper, then 22 years old. He was charged in connection with the shooting. During legal proceedings, it was stated that Cooper was part of an entourage for the performer that evening. The defense argued that Cooper was acting in defense of the rapper and his friends after hearing gunshots, and that he did not shoot anyone. Prosecutors contended that Cooper pointed a handgun with an extended magazine at the crowd and discharged it into a group of innocent people.
In addition to the criminal proceedings against Cooper, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed by the administrator of Mykala Bell's estate. The lawsuit named several defendants, including the nightclub, the performers Gucci Mane and Foogiano, and the security company. The suit alleged that the performers and their associates were not properly searched for weapons upon entering the club. A settlement was later reached in the civil case.
