Atlanta

‘An amazing father, brother, friend’: Family mourns after club-owner dies in shooting

ATLANTA — The search for a killer continues as family and friends are mourning the loss of a well-known club owner.

Michael Gidewon was an impactful person in Atlanta’s night life industry.

Police found him shot to death in front of one of his clubs in midtown Saturday morning.

Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes was outside of the Republic Lounge on Brady Avenue Monday, where there was a growing memorial for Gidewon.

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Fernandes talked to celebrity radio host Frank Ski, who called Gidewon a friend and colleague.

“He was just such a great person,” Ski said. ‘Who would do something like that? Truly, it was shocking, like impossible.”

Police are still working to determine who the shooter was, but a witness who works at the club said the gunman was a man Gidewon had kicked out for being too drunk.

Ski said Gidewon exuded calm and treated everyone with respect.

“Mike Gidewon had this calm about him. He was cool and collected,” Ski said. “He was extremely brilliant and smart. he treated everybody like they were equal.

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Ski said the violence in Atlanta is out of control.

“What I’ve been seeing really on social media that’s really gotten to me is how many people say they don’t like this new Atlanta. Like, this new Atlanta is evil,” Ski said. “It’s something about it. There’s something happening in our city that’s not why people moved here.”

Gidewon’s family are from Eritrea, a small country in Africa. They’re a tight-knit family that came from humble beginnings and they own several businesses in Atlanta now.

Simon Guobadia, husband to Real Housewives Porsha Williams posted this on social media writing in part:

Shocking on the news of your passing is an understatement. As a family man, your loss touches me to my core.

Channel 2 Action News reached out to Guobadia who provided the following statement:

My family and friends are devastated by the loss of Michael Gidewon. He was one of my friends. We jointly owned The Republic Lounge. He operated the lounge on a daily basis.

Celebrity fashion stylist Jeremy Haynes posted on Instagram:

My brother, My friend, My role model. God please watch over my family as we morn the loss of an amazing father, brother, friend & most importantly husband.

Loved ones told Channel 2 Action News Gidewon was originally from the east African country Eritrea and family held a private gathering at Eritrean - American community center Sunday.

Olga Rodriguez told Channel 2 Action she heard the gunfire.

“We heard the shots 6:30 in the morning sounded like five of them honestly and when I came to walk my dogs everything was blocked off and its just scary you know,” she said.

There are surveillance cameras outside but police have not said if they have video of the suspect.

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