8 victims in Cameo Night Club shooting file lawsuit against club

CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) - Eight people injured in a nightclub shootout have filed a lawsuit against the club, its owner and an employee.

The victims claim the Cameo Nightclub shooting could have been prevented. Two people were killed and 17 others hurt in the March 26 incident.

The lawsuit says the nightclub failed to implement and follow a proper security plan, failed to employ adequate security, and failed to use appropriate measures to protect patrons.

The victims, Shannon Brown, Rodney Espy, Jarrod Givens, Jordan Harris, Dionna Heath, Rayshaunda Higgins, Khristian Howell, and Ronald Lee, filed the lawsuit against Cameo Night Club, Kellogg Group, owner Julian Rodgers and an unknown employee.

[Third suspect sought in Cameo nightclub shootout]

Several hundred people were inside Cameo Night Club off Kellogg Avenue in the East End when a gunfight broke after a dispute among several people, police have said.

The club was supposed to be checking patrons for weapons. However, at least three different guns made it inside, according to police.

O'Bryan Spikes, 27, and Deondre Davis, 29 were killed.

Davis and Cornell Beckley, 27, were charged with murder in Spikes' death. Police also are searching for a third, unidentified suspect.

Investigators believe Beckley fired the first shots inside the East End club on March 26.

Beckley stood on the club stage and fired least four shots from a .25 caliber revolver into the crowd, according to Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters. Davis then fired a .40 caliber Glock at least 8 times.

Cameo Night Cub has a history of gun violence including a shooting inside the club on New Years Day 2015 and a shooting in the parking lot in September of the same year.

Police were called to the club upwards of 100 times since the beginning of 2016, city documents show.

Club manager Julian Rodgers turned his liquor permit over to authorities on the day after the incident.

The club permanently shut down March 31.

Deters said both Beckley and Davis were not legally allowed to carry firearms.

Cincinnati police recovered both guns along with a 9mm weapon believed to belong to the unidentified third suspect.

In total, Beckley is charged with:

2 counts of Murder (Special Felony), 2 counts of Involuntary Manslaughter (Felony 1), 30 counts of Felonious Assault (Felony 2), 1 count of Weapon Under Disability (Felony 3), 1 count of Illegal Possession of a Firearm in a Liquor Permit Premises (Felony 3), 1 count of Carrying Concealed Weapons (Felony 4) and 1 count of Inducing Panic (Misdemeanor 1).

[Cameo owner: Club closing its doors on Friday]