Kansas City Nightclub Closed After Deadly Shooting, Suspect Charged

A giant red notice is now posted outside the building where two women were shot and killed in Kansas City last weekend. The bold words read, “DO NOT ENTER/OCCUPY BY ORDER OF THE BUILDING OFFICIAL.”

Kansas City’s code enforcement has closed Status Nightclub – the turquoise building at the corner of Southwest Boulevard and 28th Street. Two women, 29-year-old Eboni Silas and 24-year-old Tishauna Ballard, were killed after someone opened fire inside the club.

While charges have been filed in connection with the shooting, city authorities are expanding their response. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas posted on social media Thursday, saying the city is committed to enforcing the City Code to ensure the health and safety of the community.

“The city has posted the following notice today at an establishment operating at 2805 Southwest Boulevard,” the post reads. “Two young women lost their lives at the location last weekend.”

The notice posted reads, “This property has been deemed unsafe by the building official. It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to remove this notice, to enter this structure or to perform work on this structure without written permission from the building official of the City of Kansas City, Missouri.”

Shots Fired on Crowded Dance Floor

Dontae Brooks, 27, faces two counts of second-degree murder, four counts of armed criminal action, first- and second-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Kansas City police were called to the nightclub at 28th Street and Southwest Boulevard early February 15 after reports of gunfire.

Police said one of the women died at the scene. The other was pronounced dead at a hospital. A man was also shot in the face and chest and is in stable condition. Another woman was shot in the leg and received treatment.

According to court documents, surveillance video captured the inside of the nightclub, which was crowded with guests “nearly shoulder to shoulder.” Around 2 a.m., video showed an unknown man whispering to Brooks, who was wearing a red baseball cap with a capital “A” on the front. Brooks then opened fire toward a man who was dancing.

Guests began to flee, including Brooks, who fell, causing his ballcap to fall off his head. He got up and left the club, leaving the cap behind. DNA evidence later connected the cap to Brooks, according to court documents.

At the time of the incident, Brooks was on federal supervised release in Kansas for possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug crime, court documents state.

“Every person who walks into a nightclub, restaurant, concert, anywhere, deserves to make it home safely,” Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said in a news release. “Because of the alleged senseless and reckless decisions of one individual, two women didn’t make it home to their families and friends Sunday morning.

“We will stand for the victims and pursue justice on their behalf, while working with law enforcement, elected officials, and community leaders to ensure a tragedy like this one doesn’t happen again. My office is continuing to review the evidence and exploring every avenue available to us to ensure anyone who had a role in the shooting is held accountable. If anyone has information on any aspect of the incident, please contact law enforcement to take a stand against violence in our community.”

A Jackson County judge set Brooks’ bond at $200,000 cash only.

The closure of Status Nightclub comes as Kansas City officials are also investigating neighboring nightclubs. According to a report from KCTV5, BLVD Nights, located at 2805 Southwest Blvd., has also been ordered to close. The city’s Multidisciplinary Task Force and Regulated Industries Division opened investigations into both Club Status and BLVD Nights on February 17, examining both establishments following the shooting at Status.