Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester said the shooting happened outside the Mix Downtown nightclub at 16th and L streets as the club was closing. “What we know now is very limited and we hope to share more as this investigation continues,” Lester said. “Ultimately, we had five people shot as a nightclub was going out in our area. “Out of the five, one is unfortunately dead and the other four are being treated in area hospitals,” he said. Family and friends identified the fatal victim as Greg Najee Grimes, 31, a former Boise State University football star who had returned home to coach and teach at Inderkum High School. Sacramento police investigate the scene of a shooting outside the Mix nightclub at 16th and L streets in downtown Sacramento on Monday. It was the second mass shooting at a downtown entertainment venue in three months. Lezlie Sterling [email protected] Lester said police received the first call about the shooting at 1:51 a.m. and that police believe the shooting took place outside along 16th Street, where dozens of blue markers have been posted along the street and on the side of 16th Street between L and K streets. “This appears to be outside and appears to have happened on the street,” Lester said. No suspects have been taken into custody and police are seeking the public’s help in determining what may have sparked the violence. Lester said police don’t know if there was more than one shooter. Lester said the department is seeking tips and videos from the public and posted a QR code on the agency’s social media pages to allow the public to share any information. We are asking for help from the community and are looking for any video evidence that may have been recorded during this shooting. We have enabled the QR code below for video submission. pic.twitter.com/KCclMRKskm — Sacramento Police (@SacPolice) July 4, 2022
“I knew it wasn’t a firework”
Corey Everett, 25, said he was inside the Mix club early Monday when he heard two gunshots. “Someone said it was fireworks, but I knew it wasn’t fireworks,” Everett said. “People ran. I was a little scared, but I wasn’t that scared for a few months. It’s happened again.” Everett, who was at the scene at 6 a.m. trying to retrieve his car from inside the taped-off area, said police arrived almost immediately. “They got there fast, really fast,” said Everett, a delivery driver who was celebrating a friend’s birthday at the club Sunday night. Everett said he thought the shooting happened inside the club, that he heard “a big bang. Bang Bang Bang.” Everett said he and his friend were on the second floor of the club and ran to the back as security told them to go behind the tables. Eventually, everyone in the club was let out the back doors, he said. Birthday balloons show there was a celebration as Sacramento police investigate the scene outside the Mix nightclub at 16th and L streets in downtown Sacramento Monday where multiple victims were shot. It was the second mass shooting at a downtown entertainment venue in three months. Lezlie Sterling [email protected] Bill Keely, a Land Park resident who was out for a bike ride Monday morning, came to the police tape to ask what had happened and said shootings like Monday’s won’t stop him from his normal walks. “You can’t be controlled by it,” Kiley said. “You try to pay as much attention as you can. But you can’t let these people control your life.” The shooting follows an April 3 gang shootout downtown that killed six people and injured 12. Three suspects — brothers Smiley and Dandrae Martin and Mtula Payton — face murder and other charges in that incident. “Whether it’s a mass shooting or a fight that turns deadly, the root cause is the same,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. “The proliferation of guns and the lack of adequate social and psychological support in our country means more people are armed and ready to pull the trigger. We all know that. “I fully support our new Police Chief Kathy Lester as she begins a strong effort to get guns off the street and work with community-based organizations to intervene before someone shoots. I also implore voters and elected officials at all levels of government to treat gun violence as an emergency that requires an immediate and effective response.” Evidence markers are displayed at 16th and K streets in downtown Sacramento after a shooting with “multiple” victims Monday. Lezlie Sterling [email protected] A Sacramento police officer allows vehicles through police tape at 15th and L streets in Sacramento Monday as they investigate the scene of a shooting outside the Mix nightclub at 16th and L streets in downtown Sacramento . Lezlie Sterling [email protected] Joe Davidson of The Bee contributed to this story. This story was originally published on July 4, 2022 at 5:41 am. Related stories from the Sacramento Bee Sam Stanton has worked for The Bee since 1991 and has covered a variety of topics including politics, criminal justice and breaking news.
