COLUMBUS, Ohio — The family of Dante Gamble, the man who was shot and killed outside of a Columbus after-hours club, is sharing their pain and frustration following his tragic death.
The shooting happened on Feb. 11 outside of Luxxe Lounge. The 39-year-old was leaving the club when he was hit by gunfire. Now, his family is hoping justice will be served.
"We're just right now trying to make sense of it to be honest,” said Teaira Gamble, Dante’s sister.
Teaira said her family will never be the same after the loss of her younger brother, Dante.
"I'm very shaken by it still and my brother was everything to me, so it really has disturbed my family,” she said.
Dante was found with gunshot wounds in the early morning hours of Feb. 11. He later died at a nearby hospital.
Court records state he was leaving the club to walk to another business on East Livingston Avenue when a man passed by him, bumped into him, then fired several shots at him. Another man simultaneously began firing shots at Dante as well.
The city of Columbus said this club had been on its radar since last year for illegal after-hours sales and gun-related police runs.
"They already had so many complaints about it and there was already so much violence erupting in the area,” Teaira said.
The city shut the club down for good several days after the shooting. Officials also discovered it was operating without a liquor license.
"Had that [club] already been shut down like it was supposed to, my brother would still be alive. So, there's different things at play here that really boils my blood,” Teaira said.
Earlier this month, police arrested two suspects in connection to Dante’s murder, Nicholas Write and Kyree Bell-Reavish. Both men are facing murder charges. Bell-Reavish is also facing drug and weapon charges in connection to a case from last year.
"My brother had three young children that will have to grow up without their father for the rest of their lives,” Teaira said.
Now, Teaira’s family hopes to start a foundation in Dante’s honor, “so that we can shed light on victims of gun violence and then also try to find ways to prevent that here in the city of Columbus,” Teaira said.
But before then, Teaira said she plans to be present at every hearing for both suspects.
"I am his protector and I am his keeper and I will be there to make sure justice will be served,” Teaira said.
Kyree Bell-Reavish is expected to be in court Friday afternoon for an arraignment following his indictment.