Witnesses describe fatal shooting scene in downtown Columbia

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia police confirmed two people were shot near 19 N. Fifth St., which is the address of Vibez nightclub, early Sunday morning.

Police were called to the intersection of Fifth Street and Walnut Street at around 2:30 a.m.

Columbia police arrested Curtis Allen Lewis, 36, in connection with the homicide and shooting, according to police.

Lewis was arrested on charges of voluntary manslaughter, second-degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action. 

According to a news release, Tershawn E. Kitchen, 34, of Columbia, was shot and killed. A 30-year-old woman also suffered serious gunshot wounds.

ABC 17 News also spoke with a spokesman for Vibez nightclub. He confirmed Kitchen was a security guard for the nightclub.

He said information from the business would be released at a later time.

Morgan Gillespie was in the nightclub when the shots were fired. She said she saw Kitchen fall and hit the door.

"My head was telling me to move and get away but I physically couldn't," Gillespie said. "I didn't know if there were going to be more gunshots … I didn't know if they were inside or outside."

Ekene Okelu was also in Vibez with Gillespie during the incident. She said she saw a woman who had been shot in the face. She jumped into action.

"The bartender said 'she was hit, get ice,' so I just started getting ice, putting it into the napkin," Okelu said. "We're all brothers and sisters here. This is a person, this is my sister, let me just sit here with her, hold her hand and tell her everything is going to be alright."

"That could have been Morgan, that could have been anybody, it could have been me," Okelu said.

Several staff members at Vibez told ABC 17 News that Kitchen was a family man and a hard worker, and Gillespie and Okelu agreed.

"He was a gentleman, a really really good dude," Okelu said. "Not that anyone deserves it, but maybe the last person who deserves it."

Both Gillespie and Okelu want justice for the victims, and for the random violence in Columbia to stop.

"Why does a night of dancing and drinking and having fun have to end up like this," Okelu said. "It is not worth it ... it is not worth someone losing their life because you got into an argument about whatever it was."

The area was blocked off for an investigation for several hours. Columbia police had at least one K-9 unit at the scene along with a Crime Scene Investigations Unit.

Police say the Violent Crime Task Force will review the case.