TENNILLE, Ga. — David Ellison, the owner of Cornbreads Club, was taken into custody Friday night for violating a beer and liquor license and running a disorderly establishment.
Sheriff Joel Cochran and Washington County deputies carried out a warrant for Ellison, 75, at his home in Tennille.
This comes less than a week after two people were shot at his business.
"People in the neighborhood, in the community, were complaining about it," Cochran said. "People didn't feel safe because of the ongoing violence at this location. So here we are today."
But this isn't the first time Cochran has approached Ellison about the violence.
"A year and a half ago, I went personally and talked to him and his family," Cochran said. "[I] talked about the concerns of this establishment and gave them some very encouraging information or suggestion that, you know, it was getting out of hand."
The Washington County Board of Commissioners scheduled a hearing for Ellison about his alcohol license later this month.
Cochran says this arrest was a superior court action, so it's separate from the hearing.
According to a release from the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the suspect in that weekend overnight shooting is still on the run.
They say Travon Hutchinson, 25, is currently wanted for three counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during certain felonies.
Both victims are recovering.
Cochran says he would not call Ellison a criminal, but he does believe he is responsible for protecting and patrolling his business.
"We've had quite a few incidents involving firearms and people being shot at this location," Cochran said. "So in communications with the county about this thing, we just felt for the sake of public safety and the people in that neighborhood, it was time we needed to come in."
The search for Hutchinson continues but Sheriff Cochran says they've turned everything over to the United States Marshall's Fugitive Squad.