H2O Club Staying Shut for Now

A city regulatory board yesterday ordered that a popular District nightclub remain closed at least through Wednesday pending further review of the violence that left a patron dead last weekend.

The D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Board declined to allow H2O Restaurant and Lounge to reopen for business this weekend. D.C. officials, led by Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier, are pressing to revoke the club's liquor license.

Assistant Attorney General Vanessa Atterbeary called H2O -- a swanky club that has hosted posh parties and political events -- an "absolute atrocity" that "poses a threat to the citizens of the District."

The board's action came after a day-long hearing that provided new details about the slaying early Sunday of Nelson Able, 39, who was killed about a block from H2O. In testimony before the board, police officials revealed that the alleged gunman, Rashod Holmes, 28, gave a videotaped statement to authorities about events leading to the gunfire -- and that his account had the trouble beginning inside H2O.

Investigators testified that Holmes went to the nightclub, in the 800 block of Water Street SW, to attend a party hosted by light middleweight boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. Police quoted Holmes, a professional boxing sparring partner, as saying that H2O's staff recognized him and allowed him to bypass security; as it turned out, police said, Holmes had a gun.

According to police, Holmes said he and his friends were in the club's VIP room about 3:45 a.m. when he accidentally bumped into Able, causing him to spill a $600 bottle of Cristal champagne. Holmes said Able demanded that he purchase another bottle but that he refused, police testified.

Authorities have said that Holmes and Able were escorted outside by H2O's security staff and that the argument continued. Holmes allegedly shot Able in the back of the head. Police said that Holmes has told authorities that Able threatened him with a knife inside the nightclub and approached him outside the club with his hand in his pocket.

Holmes pointed a gun at a D.C. police officer as he fled, investigators said, and that officer shot Holmes in the groin, thigh and finger. Holmes was charged with first-degree murder and is in jail awaiting a court hearing.

After a marathon of testimony from police detectives, police officers and the club's owner and manager, the board ruled 4 to 1 to suspend the license and ordered additional investigations into the club's security, a review of the liquor receipts from that evening and a review of the nightclub's videotape from its 20 video cameras.

"The safety of the residents of the District is of utmost importance, and we don't take this lightly," added board member Mital M. Ghandi.

Nightspots in the District have been under pressure in recent months after several people were shot in or near the establishments. Lanier used emergency powers to shut H2O for four days after the shooting-- and now it will remain closed at least until next week.

Officials have not backed off, despite club owner Abdul Khanu's declarations that the establishment was not to blame for the shooting. In a letter to the alcohol control board, Lanier wrote that "the continued operation of this establishment presents an imminent danger to the health and safety of the public."