Fun House shut down

The Fun House in the rear of Top Road, which is a pool hall owned by Algin Merritt, was shut down after a riot occurred early Sunday morning, January 24.

Two Colquitt police officers answered the call of a possible shooting and cutting. One officer stated as he got out, hundreds of people were running out of the building known as the Fun House. A sheriff’s deputy came to the call for backup.

According to reports, as many as 500-600 people were at the Fun House, many of them highly intoxicated. There were a number of fights in progress, 20 or more different fights. There were reports of gun fire, which the investigation found to be true.

Last week’s report showed that a “security” person was cut across the face and one suspect from Bainbridge was arrested for that cutting.

Another subject, Daniel Bivens, 17, was treated for three stab wounds at a Bainbridge hospital, received at the same “party” according to his father, Rev. Adren Bivins.

“They almost killed my son,” Rev. Bivins stated. “My son had to be sent to a Dothan hospital to repair the stab wounds at the Fun House. Something ought to be done about that place. He was just trying to stop a fight, and they pulled his shirt over his head and stabbed him.”

For the moment, there has been something done. The Fun House has been closed down by the Colquitt Police Department. The reasons are not available, except that the owner, councilman and police committee member, Algin Merritt does not have a license to operate a “club” in the city of Colquitt. His Top Road building on Martin Luther King Street is licensed to operate a pool hall, but that is in another building. There are no licenses to sell or consume beer, wine or alcohol on the premises. The state fire marshal was to be contacted about too many occupants in a building.

It was not known if the owner has been cited for operating a business without license or allowing minors in his business to consume alcohol.

The riot, shooting, cutting, stabbing and fighting are still under investigation, according to the Colquitt Police Department. One more arrest has been made, and more warrants are pending.