Lake Martin Beach Club announces changes after shots fired near business
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- Lake Martin Beach Club disputes Dadeville Alumni Committee's account of event arrangements, citing written communications and surveillance footage supporting the business's version of what occurred.
- Shooting occurred on Highway 49 after gathering; police were already present on scene before gunfire erupted near the property.
Lake Martin Beach Club is pushing back against statements made by the Dadeville Alumni Committee regarding the arrangements for a gathering that preceded a shooting on Highway 49, saying the event was never booked as a private function and that written communications and surveillance footage support the business’s account. In a new four-page statement released Monday, Oct. 19, Lake Martin Beach Club ownership responded directly to public comments made by Shaquon Walker, who represents the Dadeville Alumni Committee. The business disputed several claims regarding the gathering, including whether the venue was supposed to close to the public, when the organizer arrived, requests to end the event and who controlled the music. The incident occurred Saturday night following a gathering associated with Dadeville alumni. Lake Martin Beach Club previously reported that a brief altercation occurred inside the restaurant near closing time, followed shortly afterward by an individual in a vehicle on Highway 49 opening fire toward the property. The business said no one was struck by gunfire. Dispute over event arrangements According to Lake Martin Beach Club, Walker contacted the establishment about accommodating an alumni gathering following an earlier event. Ownership said it informed Walker that Saturdays were among its busiest days and that the restaurant could not be reserved exclusively for a private event. Instead, the business said it offered to reserve seating for the group in its main dining area while continuing to serve the public until its normal 10 p.m. closing time. The business also agreed to extend its hours until midnight to accommodate the gathering. Ownership said those arrangements were communicated in writing and that Walker acknowledged and agreed to the rules in writing. The business also said it waived its normal private event fee. The committee previously stated that it understood the venue would close to the public at 10 p.m. and host Dadeville alumni. According to the committee’s statement, organizers expected people who were not part of the gathering to be asked to leave. Business disputes timeline of organizer’s arrival Lake Martin Beach Club said Walker informed the business that attendees would begin arriving between 8:30 and 9 p.m. According to ownership, attendees began arriving around 9 p.m., and surveillance footage showed approximately eight people inside at that time. The business said the crowd grew rapidly over the next 30 minutes as vehicles continued arriving, eventually leaving the restaurant extremely crowded. Ownership said Walker did not arrive until approximately 10 p.m., about an hour after attendees began arriving. “The restaurant was not full when her group began arriving,” the statement said. “It became full as the gathering she organized entered the establishment, before she arrived herself.” The business also said it had not been provided with a guest list or identification system to distinguish alumni attendees from other customers once the restaurant became crowded. In her earlier statement, Walker said the venue was already full when she arrived. Disagreement over request to close The two accounts also differ regarding whether the organizer asked management to close the restaurant because of concerns about the crowd. Walker previously stated that she asked both the manager and owner to close the venue, but they declined, saying everyone was under control. She also said she repeatedly requested changes to the music and was told the establishment did not control it. Lake Martin Beach Club disputed that characterization. According to ownership, video surveillance captured Walker saying, “Y'all can shut it down whenever you want. I'm ready to go home.” The business said it understood the comments to be made jokingly, expressing that Walker was tired and ready to leave, rather than as an urgent request to close because of a specific safety threat. Ownership said three marked police vehicles were already in the parking lot with emergency lights activated, and officers were inside the restaurant at the time of the conversation. The business further stated that abruptly stopping the music and attempting to make more than 200 people leave simultaneously presented crowd-management concerns. According to the statement, the problems that led to the shooting off the property developed within approximately 10 minutes of the scheduled closing time. Who controlled the music? The committee previously said Walker asked several times for the music to be changed and was told the establishment did not control it. Lake Martin Beach Club said the group was given permission to play its own music under a written agreement requiring selections to be clean and comply with the business’s rules. Ownership said attendees were provided with an LMBC Turtlebox speaker and allowed to control the music, consistent with the arrangements discussed before the event. Police were already on scene before gunfire Lake Martin Beach Club emphasized that law enforcement officers were present before the shooting. According to the business, three marked police vehicles were in the parking lot with emergency lights activated when the conversation about closing occurred. Ownership said additional police vehicles and multiple officers were present when gunfire erupted on Highway 49. The business said it had no specific indication that someone would later open fire near the property and argued that the presence of officers gave management reason to believe the gathering could conclude in an orderly manner. “Responsibility for that decision belongs to the person who made it,” the statement said, referring to the individual who fired the weapon. The business did not identify the individual in its statement or provide details about any arrests or charges. LMBC says committee acknowledged rules Ownership also said Walker confirmed in writing before the gathering that the business’s rules would be followed and later communicated that the rules had been shared with attendees. According to LMBC, the committee’s co-host sent a message after Saturday night’s incident expressing agreement with the business’s initial public statement, reaffirming that attendees had been informed of the rules and apologizing for what happened. The business said those communications were preserved. Lake Martin Beach Club said it is not suggesting that Walker or the Alumni Committee directed, encouraged or intended the violence. However, ownership said it would not allow what it considers materially inaccurate accounts of the business’s operations or event arrangements to go unchallenged. The business is requesting that Walker and the Dadeville Alumni Committee correct the disputed portions of their public statement and provide those corrections to media outlets that distributed it. Ownership said it has preserved written communications and surveillance recordings and is prepared to provide documentation to substantiate its account. School system distances itself from gathering The dispute follows a separate statement from Tallapoosa County Schools Superintendent Casey D. Davis, who said the incidents at McKelvey Park and Lake Martin Beach Club were not affiliated with the Tallapoosa County Board of Education or Dadeville High School. Davis said neither the school board nor the school approved, sponsored or organized the activities and emphasized that they were not connected to Dadeville High School’s official Homecoming 2026 celebrations. School officials said students enjoyed a successful homecoming and that the incidents referenced in the statement were separate from the school’s activities and did not involve its students. The Dadeville Alumni Committee has also said it is an independent group of alumni that gathers annually to reconnect with former classmates and is not affiliated with the school or school board. The committee apologized f
DADEVILLE, Ala. — The Dadeville Alumni Committee is responding to allegations surrounding an alumni gathering at Lake Martin Beach Club, saying the committee expected the venue to close to the public and host alumni but encountered a crowded establishment upon arrival. In a statement released Sunday, the committee said it has organized the annual gathering for five years and that the safety of attendees has always been a priority. According to the committee, organizers contacted Lake Martin Beach Club before the event and understood that the establishment would close to the public at 10 p.m. to host Dadeville alumni. However, the committee said the venue was already full when organizers arrived. Organizers expected people who were not part of the alumni gathering to be asked to leave. The statement said a committee representative asked both the manager and owner to close the venue, but they declined, saying everyone was under control. The representative also reportedly requested several times that the music be changed but was told the establishment did not control the music. “The Alumni Committee followed the instructions given to us,” the statement said, adding that the committee cannot control what happens after people leave the venue. The committee also clarified that it is an independent group of Dadeville alumni and is not affiliated with Dadeville High School or the Tallapoosa County Board of Education. The statement comes after Lake Martin Beach Club reported that a brief altercation occurred inside the restaurant near closing time, followed by an individual in a vehicle on Highway 49 opening fire toward the property. The business said no one was struck by gunfire. Lake Martin Beach Club subsequently announced that it was permanently canceling its weekly Wing Wednesday event and would subject future private events and group bookings to stricter reviews and security requirements. The Dadeville Alumni Committee said the gunfire on Highway 49 was not affiliated with its organization. “We are saddened that people did not respect the lives of others, and we are grateful that no one was injured,” the committee said. The committee also apologized for what happened and said it respects Lake Martin Beach Club's decision. The statement follows a separate announcement from Tallapoosa County Schools Superintendent Casey D. Davis, who said the incidents at McKelvey Park and Lake Martin Beach Club were not connected to Dadeville High School's official Homecoming 2026 celebrations. The circumstances surrounding the reported incidents and any potential law enforcement action were not detailed in the committee's statement. CNAW2News will continue to follow developments as more information becomes available.
Lake Martin Beach Club says it is permanently canceling its weekly Wing Wednesday event and implementing stricter security measures for private gatherings after a gunfire incident outside the business following a Dadeville High School alumni homecoming event.
In a statement released by the business, Lake Martin Beach Club said it remained open beyond its normal business hours to accommodate the planned gathering, which organizers expected to draw approximately 100 people from 9 p.m. until midnight.
The business said the event had been planned and coordinated for more than a month. Ownership also waived its normal private event fee as a gesture of goodwill toward the local community and homecoming festivities.
However, attendance reportedly grew to more than twice the anticipated size.
According to the statement, a brief altercation occurred inside the restaurant near closing time. Shortly afterward, an individual in a vehicle traveling on Highway 49 allegedly opened fire toward the property.
No one was struck by gunfire, according to the business.
Lake Martin Beach Club said multiple police cruisers and officers were already on-site assisting with traffic and crowd control in the parking lot when the incident occurred. Ownership emphasized that the shots were fired from the highway and that no shots were fired from the business's property.
“This type of behavior will never be tolerated at Lake Martin Beach Club,” the business stated.
Effective immediately, the club said Wing Wednesday is permanently canceled. Future private events and group bookings will also undergo substantially stricter reviews, including additional research, attendance limits, security arrangements and clearly established event expectations.
The business said it is cooperating fully with law enforcement and expects those responsible to be held accountable.
Lake Martin Beach Club also emphasized that the gathering was a planned event rather than an unexpected crowd showing up at the business, thanking law enforcement for its presence and response.
“Your safety will always come first,” ownership said in its statement to customers, employees, hotel guests and the Lake Martin community.
The investigation: Lake Martin Beach Club's statement did not identify a suspect or provide details about any arrests or charges. Additional information about the incident and the status of the law enforcement investigation was not included in the statement.
This report is based on the official statement released by Lake Martin Beach Club. CNAW2News will update this report as additional information becomes available.
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