Two people shot outside Peppers Nightclub

COLUMBIA — Two people were shot outside Peppers Night Club on Range Line Street early Sunday morning.

One of the victims, a 21-year-old man, suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was in life-threatening condition. The Boone County Sheriff’s Department found the man lying on the ground in the club’s parking lot after responding to a call of shots fired, Detective Tom O’Sullivan said.

The other victim, a 22-year-old woman, suffered a gunshot wound to her right forearm. The injury, O’Sullivan said, is not considered life-threatening.

Both victims were sent to a local hospital. Police are unable to release the victims' names at this time.

O’Sullivan said the department is still in the preliminary stages of its investigation, but he thinks the victims were friends. At this time, O’Sullivan said, the department thinks there were multiple shooters, but no other information could be released.

Peppers Nightclub reopened Aug. 3 after being shut down for 10 critical health violations, according to a previous Missourian report. However, Boone County attorneys are seeking an injunction to close the club for one year after the Sheriff's Department reported evidence of illegal activity at the night club, including the staff's involvement in prostitution. 

"Pepper's has been a troubled spot for quite some time," O'Sullivan said. "It seems like something like this happens here every month or so."

Anyone with information about the shooting should contact the Columbia Police Department at 874-7652 or Crime Stoppers at 875-8477 to give information anonymously.