HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala. (WDHN) — One person was shot at a gentleman’s club in Houston County early Sunday morning, resulting in one county commissioner demanding change.
The shooting happened at Teasers Night Club in Wicksburg early Sunday morning and according to law enforcement, a female was shot outside the establishment and is currently recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.
Houston County District Four Commissioner, Brandon Shoupe said he doesn’t have a problem with the type of establishment Teasers Night Club is but rather with the crime the club brings to the area. That’s why he’s calling on the business to clean up or get out.
“The problem I have is the violence, the drugs, and the alcohol-related problems that come out of that,” Shoupe said. “We spend a tremendous amount of resources responding to things at that location.”
According to Sheriff Valenza with the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting happened around 5 a.m. Sunday.
They first received a call about 26 disorderly people, inside the club. A second call came in later, indicating shots being fired, a woman who was shot in the leg later showed up at Medical Center Enterprise, where investigators eventually interviewed her.
According to Valenza the investigation is still on-going.
“All I am saying we are not going to tolerate issues at a establishment,” Valenza said. “If they can’t control it, we aren’t going to tolerate someone going inside or outside firing rounds off. We will do with it however way we have too. If it takes a court order, we will get a court order.”
According to Shoupe, in the mid-2000s, a local law was passed that prevented new topless clubs from opening, which led to the closure of the ones already open.
Shoupe said once an owner gave up their involvement in the establishment, the law states the club would close permanently. He claims Teasers found a loophole that allows them to stay open, despite a change of management.
“The clubs are not owned by a person, they are owned by an LLC,” Shoupe said. “The LLC maintains ownership of the club, it’s just the LLC changes hand.”
Shoupe said these constant violent situations have been going on far too long and vows to get the establishment cleaned up, one way or another.
He said he has contacted the county commission’s attorney to look into a possible ordinance that would shut down the topless bar, for good.
“We are going to talk to the attorney’s to see what tools we can have in our tool belt.” Shoupe said.
WDHN has made multiple attempts to reach out to the owner of Teasers for some type of comment.
