Man killed, multiple people injured when shooting erupts near downtown Shreveport nightclub

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) — A night out turned deadly when two men begin firing guns outside a downtown Shreveport nightclub.

On July 15 at 2:29 a.m., the Shreveport Police Department (SPD) responded to a shooting on Commerce Street. When officers arrived, they learned that two young men, one wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and the other a blue hoodie, began shooting handguns near the Phoenix 2.0. The two then fled on foot in unknown directions.

Shooting near downtown nightclub. — Shooting near downtown nightclub.(KSLA)

John Ruffin Jr., 41, of the 7200 block of Union Avenue in Shreveport, died at 3:15 a.m. at Ochsner LSU Health in Shreveport after having been shot multiple times in the 400 block of Commerce Street, the Caddo coroner’s office reports. The man’s death marks the 42nd homicide this year in Caddo Parish.

Multiple other victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment of possibly life-threatening injuries following the shooting.

No arrest has been made.

Phoenix after shooting — Phoenix after shooting(ksla)

Phoenix after shooting — Phoenix after shooting(ksla)

Phoenix owner Tim Huck is angry about the shootings affecting the downtown area, including his nightclub. He released the following statement:

For over a year, I have asked the Shreveport police department to enforce the city noise ordinance. They have refused to do so. I have spoken to the Mayor just two weeks ago, who promised something would be done. Nothing has been done. As a result the DJs at downtown club Haze, managed by Patrick Brown, which has an open-air rooftop setup, continue to play music from the 2 story rooftop with their speakers aimed towards the streets. The music can be heard for blocks. This attracts underage people and loitering non-club patrons in the streets outside and around the club blocking traffic, and dancing, with no police supervision - a very predictably dangerous combination in Shreveport.
The sheriff and police chief had a recent press conference and pledged this dangerous activity supposedly would end. Despite multiple calls from myself, other businesses, and downtown residents, nothing has happened, and the nonsense continues in downtown Shreveport.
In social media posts, the manager of Haze has equated asking spd not to enforce the noise ordinance to racism and as an attack on something termed “the culture”. I do not know what “the culture” is that promotes underage people to be out after curfew, loiter, cause mayhem, and block traffic in the streets, and clubs’ music to disturb the sleep of hotel guests and downtown residents Peaceful patrons and visitors looking for a good time are afraid to enter downtown Shreveport at late night hours for fear of getting caught blocked in a street where SPD and the sheriff have apparently abandoned all semblance of law and order.
Another senseless shooting in Shreveport, tacitly and unwittingly authorized by senseless city leaders. I will continue the fight to force the city of Shreveport to enforce the laws of the city of Shreveport.
Tim Huck, owner of Phoenix nightclub

Dr. Chelette Holden, owner of Haze on Texas and Royalty Cigar and Hookah Lounge, responded to these allegations in the following statement.

I would like to offer my care, consideration, concern and condolences for the victims of last night’s shooting downtown near Phoenix 2.0. I was downtown last night until around 1:30a.m. I did not observe individuals listening to free music, dancing, smoking weed, partying near and/or around Haze on Texas. I’m not sure where the crowds of underage people were. Did SPD address and identify them as underage individuals? Haze on Texas is not in the business of throwing parties on the street. I will not allow any individual or entity to associate this shooting with the music at Haze on Texas!
If “early reports from SPD lead them to believe that the shooters had not been at the clubs but had come downtown to hang out in nearby parking & vacant lots” is true, have the suspects been interrogated and/or arrested? If they have, that’s great information. If they haven’t, how does anyone know when, where and why these criminals were downtown? The claim that they were there hanging out is incomprehensible. I will not ALLOW even the loose association of the shooting and the music at Haze on Texas. Associating Haze with this shooting is a slanderous accusation!
The shooting was “outside of a Shreveport downtown nightclub on Commerce Street.” Was the deadly shooting on Linwood this morning associated with the music at Haze? How about the shooting on the 4000 block of Wallace Ave.? Are all of the shootings in Shreveport related to the music on the rooftop at Haze? This all sounds pretty ridiculous in my opinion. I am open to any conversation, options, thoughts, plans on how WE CAN MAKE OUR CITY SAFE! Please call me at [phone number removed]! I want to be apart of the solution and not the problem!
Dr. Chelette Holden, owner of Haze on Texas & Royalty Cigar and Hookah Lounge

If you have information that could help solve this case, please call SPD at (318) 673-7300 or, if you want to stay anonymous, contact Caddo Parish Crime Stoppers at (318) 673-7373.

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