A 30-year-old Nigerian aspiring fashion designer, Sheriff Shittu, was fatally shot in the head inside a Brooklyn nightclub following a confrontation with a drunken patron who allegedly groped his girlfriend.
The incident occurred around 4:25 a.m. Saturday at Quilox Restaurant and Lounge, located in East Flatbush on Church Avenue near 95th Street, according to police.
Sheriff had visited the club with his younger brother, Fawaz Shittu, to celebrate a friend’s birthday. The outing came just a day before their mother was scheduled to arrive from Nigeria for a visit.
According to Fawaz, the altercation began when a drunk man started groping women at the club, including Sheriff’s girlfriend. Sheriff confronted the man, leading to a brief tussle.
Disturbed by the incident, the brothers left the club about 45 minutes after arriving but returned shortly after realizing Sheriff had forgotten his cellphone. By the time they came back, the suspect was reportedly being escorted out.
“The owner was saying, ‘Don’t mind that person — he’s a crazy guy,’” Fawaz recalled. “A few seconds later, I heard ‘pow,’ and I looked down and saw my brother.”
A bartender reportedly attempted CPR as Sheriff lay motionless on the floor. The gunman fled the scene and remains at large.
Fawaz questioned how the suspect was able to enter the club with a weapon. “Security didn’t do its job. They didn’t search. You’re supposed to check people and their bags,” he said.
Sheriff was rushed to Brookdale University Hospital, where he later died, police confirmed. Despite the pronouncement, the family initially kept him on life support, clinging to hope.
“He was a very sweet person, very outgoing,” said his brother, Salem Shittu. “He was protective of his family, his friends and his loved ones.”
The tragedy struck just one day before their 60-year-old mother, Foluke Shittu, arrived in New York for a preplanned visit. She learned of her son’s death after landing.
“My son was a very kind person,” she said. “We spoke on Friday, and I arrived on Sunday. That’s when they told me.”
Sheriff had immigrated to the United States in 2018. While working as a security guard, he was building his fashion brand, Riff Ent, with dreams of expanding it further.
“We’re going to keep pushing his brand,” Salem said. “We’re just trying to make a way for one another.”
The family is now calling for justice and urging authorities to apprehend the suspect. “We want him to get life in prison, the maximum sentence,” Salem said.
