Off-Duty Police Officer Involved In Atlanta Club Shooting

An off-duty police officer was involved in a fatal shooting outside a nightclub in Atlanta on Sunday morning. The incident took place near the entrance of Up Lounge at 150 Pine Street NE around 4 a.m.

Atlanta Police spokesman officer Steve Avery said the shooting followed a spat between a security guard and several male customers. The off-duty police officer responded to the dispute while working an extra job outside the club.

Police said someone in the group fired his weapon as the dispute escalated. The officer, whose job was to help with security at Up Lounge, responded to the shooting and also fired shots. It remains unknown which weapons are associated with the gunshot wounds of the victims.

Frederick Demor Asberry, 25, of Douglasville, was pronounced dead at the scene. Two men identified as Byron Heron and Andrew Smith also sustained gunshot wounds. Heron, a security officer at the club, was brought to Grady Memorial Hospital and was on critical condition as of Sunday. Smith was also treated at Grady Memorial Hospital but was later released.

“It is not clear at this point who shot whom, but three people were shot in the incident,” said Avery. “One person was pronounced dead at the scene, one person was taken to the hospital in serious condition but expected to survive, and one person suffered a minor injury. The officer was not injured,” he added.

The police recovered several firearms at the scene. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), which is leading the investigation into the incident, will identify at least one additional person who may have been involved in the shooting.

Meanwhile, the GBI said they have responded to 48 calls at Up Lounge in the past several weeks. “Since August 1, 2020, there have been 48 calls for service at the address 150 Pine St. NE. The calls range from fights, shootings, shots fired, car break-ins, and vandalism,” said the GBI.