Actions by employees of Nectar’s led to the shooting of an innocent bystander outside the popular Burlington nightclub last February, attorneys for the victim claim in a civil lawsuit filed against the club Wednesday.
They contend that Nectar’s employees acted in a “profoundly irresponsible” and “outrageous” manner when they returned a handgun they’d seized during a dispute between bar patrons and told Rashad Nashid to “take it outside.”
He did, and, according to police, he and another man got into a fight, then drew guns. Nashid allegedly shot bystander Chelsi Parker, 27, who police said was nearly killed.
Parker’s complaint, filed in Chittenden County Superior Court, which is across the street from the club, starts with this:
This case is about what happens when a downtown bar treats the City of Burlington like the Wild West, confiscating and then returning a firearm to an intoxicated patron threatening to kill another patron, telling the combatants to “take it outside” rather than calling the police, causing an outrageous and unacceptable threat to public safety. Due to Nectar’s negligence, Chelsi Parker, an innocent bystander, was gunned down in the street and nearly bled to death in front of this courthouse.
Parker’s suit alleges negligence. She is represented by Ian Carleton of Sheehey, Furlong & Behm.
The civil suit follows scrutiny of the club by local and state officials. Last fall, the state Department of Liquor Control began investigating Nectar’s. Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo has criticized the staff’s handling of the situation.
Carleton told Seven Days that the club is responsible for its staff’s failure to use good judgment.
“It’s difficult to imagine a larger abandonment of the saying, ‘If you see something, say something,'” he said. “That warning is ingrained in our public consciousness.”
Club co-owner Noel Donnellan did not immediately respond to a call for comment.
Parker, of Essex Junction, was hospitalized for three weeks after sustaining collapsed lungs and other injuries, the suit states. She can no longer jog and continues to feel pain from her injuries almost daily, her suit says.
Nashid faces charges in state and federal courts in connection with the shooting. The state’s attorney for Chittenden County declined to bring charges against the man said to have pulled a gun on Nashid.
The nightclub’s owners put Nectar’s up for sale in 2017.
Read the civil complaint here:
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I would hate to be the lawyer for the night club. Returning a weapon to an angry, and likely intoxicated patron? Ridiculous. A woman shot as a result of that negligent act? I wish her a complete recovery.
This would not have happened when Nectar Rorris owned the place. He gave a damn about Burlington and the safety of the people who live in the city. Burlington has been invaded by a horde of greedy, narcissistic punks and “big city wannabes” whose allegiance is to their egos, their wallets and making Burlington into an urban ghetto. Start with Wonder Boy Weinberger, Don “The Snake” Sinex, the crew at “f”Arts Riot and follow the trail until you reach the end, a yuppie wet dream that has capitalized on the uniqueness of the city they’re destroying.
I’m honestly surprised that this didn’t bring criminal charges
I agree with CHRISTOPHER HILL. Weinberger and his buddies are only interested in making Burlington a big city and thinking about how much money they can make off of people and helping their rich friends. They don’t care about the “little” people!!
I’m betting Mr. Nashid case will end up being referred to the Burlington Community Justice Center. There’s a good chance he will end up having the book thrown at him . In Vermont that means community service , possibly a fine which will be forgiven . Who knows, Nectars and staff may suffer greater consequences then this fine citizen .
It was clear the new owners were in over their heads even before this event happened…