HICKORY, N.C. — The owner of a Hickory event center where a man was gunned down early Sunday morning says Alcohol Law Enforcement agents visited the club two weeks ago to warn him about being open so late.
The shooting happened at the Stump Event Center in the Mountain View community at around 1 a.m., which is well after North Carolina’s curfew to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Deputies said they were called to the event center because of reports of people fighting. When they got to the area, they said there was a crowd of more than 100 people and two people suffering from gunshot wounds.
Jordan Ramseur, 34, was pronounced dead at the scene. The second victim was taken to a local hospital, but they are expected to be OK.
Eyewitnesses and evidence collected at the Stump Event Center indicate Ramseur was shot and killed after he fired his gun into a crowd of people, striking someone in the leg.
Channel 9 learned Ramseur posted a video on his Facebook page as he arrived at the club. He was there celebrating his brother Shaun’s birthday. Shaun said he left moments before the shooting happened but came back to try to help.
“I walked up on it,” Shaun Ramseur said. “I walked up on it. I tried to talk with him ... he was still breathing. But I knew...I knew he was gone.”
The event center’s owner Chris Dietz said he had been warned by ALE agents not to stay open past 10 p.m. a few weeks ago, but he opened to give people a place to go for Valentine’s Day weekend.
“I think it needs to be left up to the individual,” he said. “Whether they want to take that chance or not. The governor can’t play God. "
He told Channel 9 he only opens for special occasions, serves just beer and began turning people away around 11 p.m. because of the large crowd size.
“Basically, you know, people have to have a place to do something. They can’t stay locked in their house all the time,” Dietz said.
He did call the shooting a tragedy.
Authorities have not said what led up to the shooting and no arrests have been made.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office said several agencies helped respond to this case, including the Hickory Police Department and the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is helping the sheriff’s office investigate the case. In addition, officials said the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement Division (ALE) will be looking at any potential charges associated with violations of the Governor’s Executive Orders.
This is an ongoing investigation. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.
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