2 dead, 5 injured in Southern Restaurant and Lounge shooting: Everything we know so far
A man charged with two counts of murder after an early-morning August shooting at the downtown Southern Restaurant and Lounge was arrested Friday.
Arthur Simson, 38, was also charged with several counts of assault, and his bond was set at $1 million, according to court documents.
Louisville Metro Police Officers responded to the scene around 3 a.m., according to an initial police report. One man was found dead and several others were taken to the University of Louisville and Jewish hospitals, LMPD spokesperson Dwight Mitchell said. Two people died and several others were injured.
The Jefferson County Coroner's Office identified one of the men as 37-year-old Terrance Bethel who died at the scene.
Colby Banks, 35, was also identified and died shortly after he was taken to the University of Louisville Hospital, officials said.
"Our thoughts are with these victims and their families," Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said at a Sunday afternoon news conference.
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A vigil was hosted at Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church for those who died in the shooting.
Here's what we know.
What happened at Southern Restaurant and Lounge?
Around 3 a.m. Aug. 27, 2023, officers from the Louisville Metro Police Department responded to the call of a shooting at the Southern Restaurant and Lounge, 301 W. Market St., where they found a man who had been shot and was pronounced dead on the scene, police officials said.
First Division Maj. Shannon Lauder told local media in a separate conference that the shooting started between restaurant-goers and people on the street. Police later confirmed the shooting took place outside the business.
The restaurant hosted an event called "'Southern's Last Rodeo'" on Aug. 26, announcing that it will be temporarily closing and moving to a new location, according to a Facebook post.
Who was injured in the shooting at Southern Restaurant and Lounge?
Two people were killed in the shooting: Bethel was pronounced dead at the scene and Banks later died from his injuries at the hospital, Greenberg said.
Four other people were taken to the University of Louisville Hospital and are recovering, Greenberg said. They are expected to survive.
Another person who suffered injuries from a fall at the scene was taken to Jewish Hospital in unknown condition.
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Will Southern Restaurant and Lounge close?
Greenberg said measures are in place to quell the violence that occurred at the restaurant. The mayor and the building's landlord have worked together to terminate the establishment's lease, which will take effect Thursday, he said.
"We will enforce our laws and ordinances," Greenberg said. "There are too many of these incidents happening in the middle of the night when bars and clubs are the only businesses that are still open. We must do more to address our gun violence epidemic."
Local Alcoholic Beverage Control Administrator Brad Silveria also announced he has applied with state officials for the restaurant's license to be revoked, which will cease operations immediately if granted.
In an Aug. 28 afternoon news conference, Silveria said ABC received a complaint around July 10 about a large gathering of patrons at the place and from that point forward was collaborating with multiple agencies.
“It was a collaboration between multiple agencies and every weekend since July 10th, we’ve had eyes on this location.”
Reporter Rachel Smith contributed. Contact reporter Rae Johnson at RNJohnson@gannett.com. Follow them on Twitter at @RaeJ_33
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Southern Restaurant and Lounge shooting: What we know so far
