Preliminary hearing held for man accused in deadly Sheffield nightclub shooting

SHEFFIELD, Ala. ( WHNT ) — A preliminary hearing was held Monday for a man accused of shooting and killing another at a Sheffield nightclub earlier this month.

On August 9, Sheffield Police responded to a shooting call on South Columbia Avenue. Through the course of the investigation, police found the shooting happened at a nightclub called “The Underground.”

After investigators looked at surveillance footage from the night, the Sheffield Police Department (SPD) said it determined that Tawan Southern shot and killed Christopher Fuqua.

Southern was arrested and charged with murder in connection with the shooting.

News 19 Bureau Chief Whitney Leibold was in the courtroom yesterday and said Southern was still limping from his leg wound. She recorded statements from the lead investigator at the Sheffield Police Department. She said he took the stand to explain what he saw on the footage.

“A large group was hanging out next to a black Cadillac in the parking lot of ‘The Underground.’ In the footage, Southern approached the group, and made a derogatory comment towards them and then started messing with his waistline, like he was going to pull a gun.

Another person in that group produced a firearm and that’s when Southern fired the first shot and fired it in the direction of Fuqua, then explains there was a gun battle. Southern then started running away and was also shot in the leg, Fuqua tried to run after hm but then collapsed. Fuqua and Southern had beef for 3 to 4 years.

A man named Freddy Lyles who was in the group by the Cadillac, transported Fuqua to the hospital and when policed asked him what happened, Lyles said Southern shot him and started it.

Sheffield Police Department Lead Investigator

Whitney said once the investigator watched the footage, it was clear Southern shot first. He said they received a warrant for his arrest for reckless murder. While he was in custody, the investigator said Southern repeatedly told them he was trying to defend himself.

Southern is currently held at the Colbert County Jail on $200,000 bond.

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