Shooting on 21/2 CLUB LOMBARD STREETS, BALTIMORE, MD

03/04/2010 01:00 AM. TWO YOUNG MEN WHO HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A FIGHT INSIDE A DOWNTOWN BALTIMORE NIGHTCLUB WHERE A NEAR RIOT OCCURRED LAST WEEK WERE SHOT AND WOUNDED EARLY THURSDAY NEAR THE INNER HARBOR, ACCORDING TO POLICE WHO REPEATED CALLS FOR THE CLUB TO BE SHUT DOWN. CITY POLICE, WHO SAID THE SHOOTINGS WERE CAPTURED ON A CITIWATCH SURVEILLANCE CAMERA, ARRESTED ONE MAN AND SEIZED A .45 CALIBER SEMIAUTOMATIC HANDGUN FROM A VAN STOPPED SHORTLY AFTER THE ATTACK. BOTH MEN SUFFERED NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES AND WERE BEING TREATED AT AREA HOSPITALS. OWNERS OF THE NIGHTCLUB, THE VELVET ROPE, LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC MERCANTILE SAFE DEPOSIT AND TRUST CO. BUILDING ON REDWOOD STREET, ALREADY FACE A LIQUOR BOARD HEARING SCHEDULED FOR LATER THIS MONTH. THAT DEALS WITH COMPLAINTS BY POLICE WHO SAID OFFICERS QUELLED A DISTURBANCE THERE ON FEB. 25 WHEN ANGRY PATRONS STORMED THE FRONT DOORS AFTER A HIP HOP CONCERT WAS OVERSOLD. POLICE COMMISSIONER FREDERICK H. BEALEFELD III HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE AFTER THAT INCIDENT AND CALLED FOR THE IMMEDIATE CLOSING OF THE CLUB THAT CAN HOLD MORE THAN 900 PEOPLE AND ATTRACTS WELL-KNOWN PERFORMERS FROM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THE CLUB CAN'T BE SHUT UNTIL A LIQUOR BOARD HEARING IS HELD. THURSDAY'S SHOOTING PROMPTED THIS RESPONSE FROM THE DEPARTMENT: "WHAT MORE HAS TO HAPPEN AT THIS LOCATION FOR THIS BUSINESS TO REALIZE THEY POSE A GRAVE RISK FOR THE PEOPLE IN BALTIMORE?" SAID POLICE SPOKESMAN ANTHONY GUGLIELMI. "THE FIRST TIME WE HAD A MINI RIOT. THAT WAS A WEEK AGO. NOW WE HAVE PEOPLE SHOT." POLICE SAID THE FIGHT INSIDE THE CLUB BEGAN SHORTLY BEFORE 1 A.M. AND THAT THE PATRONS WERE THROWN OUT AND POLICE, WHO WERE OUT IN FORCE IN THE AREA BECAUSE OF THE EARLIER DISTURBANCE, TRIED TO CONFRONT THE PARTICIPANTS AS THEY WALKED AWAY. GUGLIELMI SAID OFFICERS WERE ONLY ABLE TO QUESTION A HANDFUL WHILE THE REST WALKED TOWARD LOMBARD STREET, WITH THE VICTIMS OF THE FIGHT HUNTING DOWN THEIR ATTACKERS. GUGLIELMI SAID THAT NEAR LIGHT AND LOMBARD STREETS, 2 1/2 BLOCKS FROM THE CLUB, ONE MAN DUCKED INTO AN ALLEY, RETRIEVED A HANDGUN AND SHOT AT MEMBERS OF THE OTHER GROUP. IT WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY CLEAR WHETHER THE SHOOTER WAS THE VICTIM OR THE INSTIGATOR OF THE FIGHT INSIDE THE CLUB. View Source.