Hollywood

‘Stop with the violence': Manager of Hollywood venue speaks out after baby shower shooting

Debra Gronvold, the manager of Jaycee Hall since 1999, says the hall serves a vital role in the community. 

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Four people were shot, two of them killed, outside a Hollywood venue where a baby shower just ended early Sunday morning.

The parking lot of Jaycee Hall along Hollywood Boulevard next to I-95 turned into a crime scene Sunday as police investigated.

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About 30 minutes after the baby shower ended, police say an altercation outside the venue led to gunfire. One person died on the scene, three others were rushed to the Memorial Regional Hospital where a second person died. Police say two of the remaining victims remain hospitalized, one in the intensive care unit.

“That’s the horrible thing is, c’mon guys, that’s a baby shower, or a celebration, a birthday party – you don’t expect your guests to go outside and shoot each other," said Debra Gronvold, the manager of Jaycee Hall since 1999. 

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Police are searching for whoever is behind a shooting outside a baby shower at a Hollywood event venue that left two people dead and two others injured.

Talking about the violence brought Gronvold to tears. She says guns aren’t allowed on premises and they have several surveillance cameras inside and outside the venue, but none captured the shooting. Gronvold says the hall serves a vital role in the community. 

“Not only do the Jaycees have events here, we let the Lions, the Girl Scouts, Kiwanis meets here every Tuesday,” Gronvold said. “During the week it’s basically a community center and to make money we rent it out on the weekends.” 

The manager said the venue is changing their policies around security, requiring clients to hire off-duty security when parties run late.

It’s unclear whether anyone attending the baby shower was injured or involved in the shooting, which remains under police investigation. 

Police say they’ve identified persons of interest, but no arrests have been made.

Monday they revealed they put out a be-on-the-lookout alert to officers Sunday for a vehicle with occupants that might have information on the shooting. They didn’t say if the vehicle has been found.

“Please, everybody, love your neighbor, stop with the violence, that’s all I can say,” Gronvold shared.

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