A Wilmington nightclub that caused residents to 'live in fear' has been shut down

An illegal Wilmington nightclub has been shut down following a nuisance abatement investigation conducted by multiple agencies.

Edge Lounge, located at 1219 S. Fifth Ave., now faces stringent restrictions, District Attorney Ben David said Wednesday at a news conference in Dram Tree Park.

The lounge has been "the site of a homicide, several shootings, drug violations, illegal alcohol sales, and gang activity," Ben David said. "Now thanks to the consent judgment that has just been signed by Superior Court Judge the honorable Judge Frank Jones, this property can never again be operated as a nightclub, restoring order to that neighborhood."

The Edge Lounge property owner has agreed to terms, which instate a permanent ban on the property operating as a nightclub, prevent any business opening on the property between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. and prohibit the sale of alcohol from the premises for at least the next five years, Ben David said.

Previous coverage: Alcohol, drugs and firearm seized in ALE search of former Wilmington bar

"We are returning that neighborhood to the people that live there today," Ben David said. "This action is saving lives."

In January 2024, the N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) division seized alcohol, drugs, and one firearm from Edge Lounge. In February 2022, a shooting left one woman dead on the premises.

Edge Lounge "has caused the community to live in fear and constantly drained emergency services and law enforcement resources," Wilmington Police Chief Donny Williams said in a news release.

Another illegal nightclub, known as Ballz Nightclub, located at 2753 Macedonia Church Road in Columbus County, will also be shut down as a result of the investigation.

Previous coverage: 'I'm scared for my life': 911 calls from Saturday shooting in Wilmington released

"What we're going to do next is we are going to demolish the property and we're actually going to use it as a teaching moment ... for the men and women of our firefighting community in Columbus County. We're going to have a burn in that area where they use it as a structure fire," District Attorney Jon David said. "It will be burned to the ground in the next 60 days."

The Wilmington Police Department, ALE Nuisance Abatement Team, Columbus County Sheriff's Office, New Hanover and Pender County District Attorney's Office, and Bladen, Brunswick, and Columbus County District Attorney's Office helped to secure abatement orders on the two properties.

Edge Lounge and Ballz Nightclub were "hotbeds for criminal activity," Ben David said. "We have used these nuisance abatement laws historically to make sure that we are going to proactively prevent the crime that is occurring in our communities."

Several other locations in New Hanover and Pender counties are actively under investigation, Ben David said.

"There is no statute of limitations on felonies and there's certainly no statute of limitations on looking back at criminal conduct to show this pattern of activity," Ben David said. "We're going to go anywhere where this threat is and meet it."

Wilmington residents can report criminal activity using the anonymous Tip 411 app or by calling local law enforcement.

"We have to get the surrounding community around a business establishment (or) a neighborhood to come forward and help," Ben David said. "When we have these more sprawling investigations ... if we come and ask for your assistance, this is getting down to what kind of community do you want to live in?"

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Illegal nightclub Edge Lounge in Wilmington, NC, shut down