Tragedy struck Albany State University's athletics stadium.
Albany State University volleyball player Mariam Clayton was one of two people fatally wounded in a shooting at Atlanta-area Eleven 45 nightclub on Sunday morning.
“We are saddened by the loss of Mari. What a beautiful soul. Our Albany State Ramillies are shocked by this news. Our thoughts are with Mari's loved ones.” wrote Albany State Athletic Director Kristin Kelly in a post on X.
“Mari was just an all-around great woman and she will be truly missed,” said John Holladay, volleyball coach at Stockbridge High School, where Clayton was a standout player.
We are saddened by the loss of Mari. What a beautiful soul. Our Albany Ramily is shocked by this news. Our thoughts are with Mari's loved ones. 😔 💔 https://t.co/3gJe6KimoI
— Dr. Kristin Kelly🇻🇮 (@DrKKelly) May 13, 2024
Creighton started his college career at Benedictine College, where Holladay said he “became a part of the program right away.”
She then transferred to Albany State University, where the then-sophomore competed in seven contests during the 2023 season.
Eleven 45 has been the scene of several violent incidents in recent years. The petition was organized by residents four years ago, calling for the nightclub to close due to rising crime and claiming the venue was “irresponsibly owned”.
The petition raises concerns about five shootings involving the club between September 2019 and August 2020 that left four people dead, and says the club is “inviting criminal activity” to the neighborhood. said.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Atlanta police received nearly 100 emergency calls related to Elleven45's address in 2019 alone.
At Monday's Atlanta City Council meeting, Atlanta Police Chief Darrin Schielbaum said there was one gunman targeting one person. Police say a fight inside the club sparked the shooting, but they have not identified the target.
Authorities indicated the suspect was still at large, but they were confident his identity would be released soon.
