Mother of slain man works to close Prince George's club CFE

CFE, which holds a permit to operate as an auditorium, was temporarily closed on two separate occasions in 2008 and 2009 for fire code and health violations, according to Ellis.

Washington, D.C.-based music producer Cabellero Dee, who said he organized several events at CFE in 2008, said he believes the venue is safe.

The owner "usually had everything covered with security," Dee said, adding that he believes it is unfair to take occasional incidents as proof that the club is dangerous.

The mother of two of George Cooper's children, District resident TeAhna Mathis, 22, who was at CFE the night Cooper was killed, said she knew of fights breaking out before and did not think security staff searched patrons thoroughly for weapons.

"All the time, fights. They fight outside the club, they fight inside the club," said Mathis, who did not see Cooper until after he was stabbed.

Mathis added that she remains in shock about Cooper's death and will not go back to CFE.

Forestville is an unincorporated area under the county police department's jurisdiction, but officials from several surrounding municipal police departments said the club also is on their radar as a potential security problem. Like the county police department, which stopped allowing officers to take part-time security jobs at CFE after 2007, the District Heights Police Department also does not allow officers to take part-time work there, said Lt. Wayne Simms, who is with the department.

"There's too much trouble up there," he said, adding that he has heard of fights, stabbings and other incidents taking place at the venue over the years.

The Seat Pleasant Police Department used to allow officers to take secondary jobs at CFE, but stopped allowing those arrangements the weekend Cooper was killed, according to Lt. Leroy Patterson, who is with the department. That same weekend, a Seat Pleasant police officer outside the venue shot a man in the leg; the circumstances of that shooting are under investigation.

Patterson said three or four officers used to do part-time security work at CFE, keeping watch outside during live music events. He said reports of fights breaking out among patrons were common.

"We don't want to be associated with all the violence that's going on," he said.

Tracy Cooper said she will not rest until CFE is closed. The pain of losing her only son -- who has four children of his own -- is constant, and she believes shutting down the club is the only way to make sure other families don't experience a similar loss.

"It's bigger than my son, it's bigger than me," she said. "I'm angry, and I want something done."