Group continues to call for closure of downtown club
By: Kimberly Rusley
Updated: December 13, 2012
Julie Thomas is the spokesperson for a group calling for the closing of downtown nightclub Kokopelis.
"There's just a group of us that are really concerned with the safety to downtown Shreveport, and we want to do something about it," says Thomas.
She says after numerous violent crimes at the club, the group decided to get together and push to have the club shut down.
"I would just like to say that there's a need for change, but there can't be change unless there's action and that's what we're really calling for," says Thomas.
There have been multiple stabbings and fights at the club. On December 11, 2012, a man was shot in the neck after an argument inside the club.
"First off, we would just like to start by saying we're praying for the victim, and the families that are associated with it," says Thomas. "That's just one instance that's happened there of many. And this is the first step of many to restoring the reputation of downtown Shreveport that is our ultimate goal."
We spoke to the owner, Chad Fangue off camera.
He says there have not been a lot of violent crimes associated with Kokopelis, and he thinks the online petition is the doing of another downtown nightclub.
"We're not trying to dirty anyone's name," says Thomas. "They're doing that on their own actually by letting an underage child into the club, and to bring a gun, and to shoot someone, so they're dirtying their own reputation."
