A bar in Deep Ellum is being sued by the family of a woman who was killed during a shooting at the bar last month.
Danielle Maxine Jones, 30, was with a group of her friends at the Bitter End bar last month when a shooting occurred. Jones was shot to death during the shooting that occurred on March 15.
Rickey Gossett, 37, was also killed during the shooting, and another person was left injured.
Jones’ family is now suing the bar, and the lawsuit alleges that the bar had lax security measures “despite being aware that violent crimes often occur in Deep Ellum,” per Fox 4 News. Nuru Witherspoon, the family’s attorney, said that the bar did not have adequate security measures in place, which contributed to Jones’ death.
“This shooter had engaged the individuals at the door, that were checking ID. They didn’t have security. They just had individuals checking ID. Those individuals probably had an opportunity to call police. Had the police been called, this guy would’ve been arrested or asked not to trespass,” said Witherspoon, per Fox 4 News.
The lawsuit says it was more likely that “dangerous individuals might come upon the property due to inadequate supervision, monitoring, and patrolling of the premises” at Bitter End, per WFAA.
Witherspoon said that everyone who lives or visits Dallas enters Deep Ellum at some point, and the bar should have been a safer environment.
“Everyone who lives in Dallas or comes to visit Dallas at some point or time is going to go into Deep Ellum. Every single weekend, there’s thousands of people that go into Deep Ellum. On the day Ms. Jones was killed at the Bitter End, it wasn’t as safe as it should have or as safe as it could have been,” Witherspoon said, per Fox 4 News.
A motive for the shooting has not been released by officials, and there have not been any arrests made related to the shooting.
The Dallas Express previously reported on a December 31 shooting that left two injured and occurred in Deep Ellum. District 2, led by Council Member Jesse Moreno, experienced extensive crime in 2023. There have been nine homicides in the district in 2023, indicating no change from this time last year, according to the Dallas crime statistics dashboard.
Following the high crime year of 2022, crime has continued to be an issue in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex in 2023. Since the start of 2023, murder and nonnegligent manslaughter is up roughly 17.44%, according to the Dallas Police Department crime statistics dashboard.
I wouldn’t say that bar was any more dangerous than anywhere else in deep ellum or Dallas for that matter. Criminals and lunatics are everywhere. You have to be extremely vigilant anywhere- especially after dark.
Democratic policies that are lax in arrest and punishment are the reason for higher crime rates throughout DFW. Arm yourself, be aware of your surroundings. Help is minutes away when you only have seconds to protect yourself and family and friends.
Why just sue the bar, why not the city of Dallas and the whole state of Texas for allowing criminals to roam free?
Some lawyers got a hold of this family and are trying to make a case based on their grief.
If the bar and where it’s located is so dangerous why did the victims go there. I certainly wouldn’t have been there knowing what I know about that area.
Ultimately it is about personal choice.
I just wonder that if the killer is ever caught if they will be suing them as well? Probably not since the odds are their broke.
You want to spend time in dangerous areas that’s your choice. But don’t come crying when you play with fire and you get burned.
Lawyers are the greediest, laziest, most evil form of life on this gods forsaken planet.
Contrary to the attorney’s assertion, most residents of Dallas do not go to Deep Ellum.
When Deep Ellum was revived about 20 years or so ago, all kinds of people went there as it was newly redone. In the years since, it has become more and more dangerous after dark and most people don’t go there anymore.
It’s just a fact of life that areas of a city ebb and flow. I, for one, wouldn’t consider going to DE after dark, just like many parts of Dallas.
I don’t see how the bar is responsible. If she knew it was a dangerous area then personal responsibility should kick in.
The defense attrorney sunk his own case by saying that on any given day thousands of people come into Deep Ellum. That means that half a million people come and go to Deep Ellum with no injury. The club had no obligation to increase security when there was no proven danger. DPD is good about closing bars that register a lot of disturbance calls.
These ambulance chaser lawyers are always waiting for these kinds of opportunities to make money and in reality, they make most of it.
If you don’t want to be a victim of violent crime, then I’d say don’t go to Deep Ellum after dark, much less live there. Deep Ellum has been a crime hotspot for decades.
Case seems flimsy.
I’m blame Greg ABBOTT, for this, simple reason everyone in the state of Texas can carry, and just because of this bar didn’t have security, what a joke.
You are completely wrong in your statement. The correct statement is LEGAL CARRY, and guess what….it is NOT legal to carry into a bar (a restaurant yes, a bar no). I would bet that they have the legal notice on the door as well. That absolves the bar completely in itself!
No establishment can possibly be responsible to verify that every patron is obeying all laws, it is not their duty nor responsibility. In fact, that is not the Police’s responsibility according to the Supreme Court. Police’s ONLY duty is to investigate (after a crime) and arrest (when a perpetrator is identified). Nothing more. They are not required to protect at all.
The issue is that the PERSON GOING INTO THE AREA is responsible for their own protection and own actions and to defend themselves, this is the law by the Supreme Court and the State of Texas.
Any rational attorney can show that it is unlawful to carry into a bar, and that the bar was posted. The bar is not responsible for a criminal’s actions, period.
Should be suing City of Dallas for not enforcing crime in that area like they should.
Just scumbag lawyers looking for a payday
Of all the stupid, greedy self serving retarded moves someone could make. Any lawyer who takes this case should be disbarred and banned from practicing law in Texas ever again.