A District man was fatally shot outside a swanky club on Washington's Southwest waterfront early yesterday before police shot his alleged killer in another outbreak of violence that is again bringing scrutiny to the region's night scene.The shooting near H2O Restaurant & Lounge has prompted D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier to use her emergency powers and shut down the club for four days. It was the third time she has temporarily closed a club this year.
Such violence at a club as prominent as H2O -- which hosted a fundraiser last week for Sen. Barack Obama, a Democratic presidential candidate -- is eliciting more calls for nightclub reform. "We're in a terrible condition in these places, particularly late at night," said D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1). "It's sadly not surprising, and tragically so."
Nightspots in the District and Prince George's County have been under pressure in recent months after several people were shot in or near the establishments. In the District, a 17-year-old was killed in January, prompting public outcry and proposed legislation aimed at stemming the bloodshed. In Prince George's, county officials briefly ordered nine nightclubs shut down last month, saying they were magnets for violent crime. On Saturday morning, a man was shot outside one of those clubs after a fight.
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