Early Sunday morning, a grim tragedy unfolded inside a Koreatown strip club, leaving employees traumatized and fleeing the scene. The New York Police Department reported that officers arrived at 355 Seventh Avenue around 5:30 a.m. to find a 32-year-old man fatally shot in the head.
Witnesses Describe Chaos
A security guard from a nearby building described the shocking moments that followed: “The girls were naked, screaming, saying they had killed someone. A lot of people ran into the store there to get dressed. They were naked.” The chaotic scene included patrons and employees shouting, “He’s dead! He’s dead! He’s dead! He’s dead!” while jumping over the lifeless body of the victim.
Victim’s Identity Withheld
The victim’s name is being withheld as family members are notified, according to the Daily News. Although authorities are still investigating, no suspect description has been released, and nobody has been taken into custody as of yet.
The Building’s Dubious Reputation
Situated near West 30th Street, the building in question also houses a $1 pizzeria and “Foxy Fitness & Pole Training Studio,” both of which close at 5:00 p.m., according to Google listings. Yet the building has a darker side; it is also home to a late-night strip club. One neighborhood watchman remarked that the locale is known as a “bad place.”
Past Incidents: No Stranger to Violence
The location’s dubious reputation isn’t unwarranted. In a troubling precursor, last September, someone from R&B singer Trey Songz’s entourage allegedly discharged a firearm at the same establishment. The shooting erupted around 5:00 a.m. on September 11, and although no injuries were reported, the NYPD confirmed that no arrests were made in relation to that incident either.
While investigations are ongoing, this grim event adds another layer to the troubling history of the venue, leaving a community rattled and demanding answers.