On a night that should have been filled with celebration, tragedy struck in Atlanta, Georgia, forever altering the lives of a loving family. Mariam “Mari” Creighton, a vibrant 21-year-old female, was fatally shot on Mother's Day, May 12, 2024, inside the Elleven45 Lounge in the Buckhead neighborhood. An Albany State University student and a talented volleyball player just one semester shy of graduating with a degree in biology, she was at the club with family celebrating her niece's
birthday.
The evening turned chaotic when a fight broke out within the club, escalating to gunfire around 2:30 a.m. Creighton was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire and was struck by a bullet. Another individual, 20-year-old Nakyris Ridley, was also killed in the shooting; police later identified him as the intended target. Four other patrons were wounded in the incident but survived their injuries. The violence that erupted that night was not an isolated event, as the nightclub had a history of violent incidents and residents had previously petitioned for its closure.
In the weeks following the shooting, a suspect was identified. Karanji Reese, 21, surrendered to the Atlanta police on June 5, 2024. He faces a multitude of charges, including murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. During legal proceedings, it was revealed that Reese was identifiable from club surveillance footage. A judge denied bond for Reese, and he remains in custody awaiting trial.
In the aftermath of their daughter's death, Mari Creighton's parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the owner of Elleven45 Lounge, Djibril Dafe, and his associated companies, alleging that lax security measures allowed an armed individual into the establishment. The family was awarded a $66.5 million default judgment after the defendants failed to contest the claims. A Fulton County judge also ruled that the nightclub was operating illegally and ordered it to be shut down, later declaring it a public nuisance.
