BRADDOCK, Pa. — A Braddock bar owner is speaking out after a deadly shooting just steps away from his business.
Cardell Collins, the owner of Club Elegance, says he is heartbroken after a 26-year-old woman was killed and two other women were critically injured early Saturday morning.
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“It was crazy. It was senseless. You know, reckless,” Collins said.
Collins says the violence did not happen inside his bar on Braddock Avenue, but he still feels a deep sense of responsibility.
He describes the night as normal up until the moments before the shooting.
“That night, there was no fights, no arguments. Everybody was vibing,” he said.
According to police, just after 2 a.m., someone across the street began firing into a crowd gathered outside the club.
Investigators say the gunfire killed 26-year-old Quinn Venay and left two other women critically hurt.
Evidence markers lined the scene in the aftermath, highlighting the severity of the shooting.
“A young lady is dead and her family is planning her funeral for nothing. For nothing,” Collins said. A young lady is in the hospital with a bullet in her face for nothing. A young lady is probably paralyzed for nothing.”
Collins says he personally knows the 26-year-old victim’s family and is devastated by the loss.
He is also frustrated by the gun violence.
“What you need to bring guns to a club for? For what? Why can’t you just come have fun? Or if you got issues, why can’t you just stay home?” he said.
Collins says he has previously asked Braddock police to increase patrols outside the club, but says that did not happen.
Now, he plans to meet with borough leaders on Tuesday to discuss adding lighting, installing cameras, and increasing police presence in the area.
He says those steps may help prevent future violence, but they will not ease the pain felt by the victims’ families.
“Even though it didn’t happen in here, I feel like we still let them down because somebody got killed. People got hurt,” Collins said.
Collins also says he plans to increase security inside the club as well as get additional training for guards.
The victim’s family tells Channel 11 they are planning a balloon release on Wednesday.
Allegheny County Police have not announced any arrests.
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