Mariam “Mari” Creighton, a volleyball player and a sophomore student at Albany State University, was fatally shot in an incident at a nightclub early on Sunday. The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. at Elleven45 Lounge after a fight broke out. The shooting made another fatality, 20-year-old Nakyris M. Ridley, and injured four people who are recovering at nearby hospitals.
Atlanta police Chief Darin Schierbaum said during a City Council meeting on Monday that the shooter remains at large and has yet to be identified.
“There were a number of people that were in close proximity that were also struck by those rounds,” he said, according to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. “One did not survive, the individual that was being targeted did not survive, and then we have four citizens who are now recovering at local hospitals.”
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference expresses its deepest condolences on the passing of Ms. Mariam Creighton, a beloved daughter, friend, proud Golden Ram and cherished member of the SIAC.
We offer our heartfelt sympathies to Mari’s family, friends, teammates and… pic.twitter.com/OZc5MciWH7
— The SIAC (@TheSIAC) May 14, 2024
He added that the investigation remains “very active” and that new details should be released soon.
“I’m confident that very shortly we can let (the city council) and Atlanta know who we believe committed that crime, who we believe has caused that neighborhood to feel less safe, and we will have them before a court of Fulton County to hold them accountable,” Schierbaum said.
Creighton started her volleyball career at Stockbridge High School before enrolling at Benedict College in South Carolina. The 21-year-old transferred to Albany State University, where she played in over half a dozen games during the 2023 season.
“Mari was just an all-around great young lady that will truly be missed,” John Holladay, her coach at Stockbridge, told the news outlet.
Albany State officials said grief counseling for staff and students would be made available.
“The Albany State University family is deeply saddened as we have been informed of the sudden passing of one of our students, Ms. Mariam Creighton,” the university wrote in a statement. “Our condolences are with the family of our fallen Ram, her fellow classmates and friends as we deal with this tragic loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.”
