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ATLANTA - Authorities say the co-owner of a popular Atlanta nightclub was shot and k*lled Saturday morning in front of his own establishment.



Michael Gidewon was identified by the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office as the man who found dead outside the Republic Lounge located at 990 Brady Avenue NW near 11th Street NW.

Atlanta police say just before 7 a.m., officers arrived to find Gidewon suffering from a gunshot wound. He was not responsive. Medics pronounced him dead at the scene.

It was not immediately clear who shot Gidewon or why, but investigators have not reported any arrests in connection to his death.


A small memorial grows at the spot where Republic Lounge owner Michael Gidewon was gunned down in front of his Atlanta establishment on Feb. 4, 2023. (FOX 5)

A small memorial began to grow Saturday night marking the spot 50-year-old was found gunned down just hours earlier.

Gidewon has been in business as a nightlife entrepreneur for the last 35 years, according to records filed with the Georgia Secretary of State's Office. He and his younger brother, Alex, escaped the East African country of Eritrea due to the violence. The brothers would work as valets learning the ins and outs of the nightlife business.

The pair would eventually work their way into owning two clubs just a block from each other with Alex heading the now-defunct Compound nightclub.


Gidewon was a celebrity in his own right. On any given night, he could be seen hobnobbing, hosting, and befriending rising entertainers or established artists such as T.I., Young Jeezy, Usher, Nelly, Jermaine Dupri, Lil Baby, and Ludacris.

He also was not one to shy away from giving back to the community, helping several Thanksgiving dinner drives among other charitable activities.

Gidewon leaves behind his wife, Selam, and four children.

Friends and family of Gidewon could not be reached for comment and nothing official has been posted on social media by the clubs.


The Republic Lounge is located in the western Home Park neighborhood, which has an ecliptic mix of popular night spots, restaurants, mixed-use developments, and other businesses.

The area has seen its fair share of violence in the past few years. FOX 5 has reported on just some of those incidents. In January 2020, four people were shot outside the Compound during the early morning hours, shell casings littered the streets after a reported shooting along Brady Avenue near Howell Mill Road in October 2020, seven people were injured in a stabbing during a 2021 New Year’s celebration inside the Republic Lounge, and a man was arrested after a short chase after police say he was firing a gun into the air outside the same location in May 2022.

Atlanta Club Sceen

Atlanta is supposed to be the black Mecca just a overall embarrassment everyone there should be ashamed

Why isn’t life valuable? R.I.P.

man we came up off a lot of bread because of his brother alex. rip WTF

Broke BX panthers told me it’s only cops k*lling men

Deeebo said Broke BX panthers told me it’s only cops k*lling men

Nobody said that you racist pink piece of sh*t

qutaboi225 said Nobody said that you racist pink piece of sh*t

You kids love to refer to whites as pink, did someone misinform you that this is insulting?? Stay down son

He must of been on some underworld boss ish like CottonMouth

Stay dangerous

RIP to the Brother

Coincidence he Eritrean and was also k*lled at his business establishment like the brother in my avatar

qutaboi225 said Nobody said that you racist pink piece of sh*t

CelticPride242 said You kids love to refer to whites as pink, did someone misinform you that this is insulting?? Stay down son

I think the break down goes like this....

Racist, is what you are, pink, is your skin color, piece of sh*t, is the insult....

Is that AG brother?

AG is the biggest promoter in ATL

Republic is the after hour spot since there’s no more Compound

North!!! said Stay dangerous RIP to the Brother Coincidence he Eritrean and was also k*lled at his business establishment like the brother in my avatar

Damn sh*t is wild man

In Wakanda? No way. RIP to dog.

North!!! said Stay dangerous RIP to the Brother Coincidence he Eritrean and was also k*lled at his business establishment like the brother in my avatar

It just feels when you coming up, that sh*t is as much of a curse as it is a blessing. People just so hateful.

It also feels like not only the good die young but the successful die young too.

I'm just tryna get low and get dough these days. This is why I just keep to myself 100 percent.

fu*k all the bullsh*t and R.I.P. to the brother.

North!!! said Stay dangerous RIP to the Brother Coincidence he Eritrean and was also k*lled at his business establishment like the brother in my avatar

see what you saying has to be coincidence or i wonder if it was some street sh*t

but yeah R.I.P to him and condolences to his family

Gay Club Owner

North!!! said Stay dangerous RIP to the Brother Coincidence he Eritrean and was also k*lled at his business establishment like the brother in my avatar

That’s not all him and cipsey got in common

Wife and four kids. Messed up.

This one stings… AG solid…

sh*t foul, There's a reason Why I stayed away from Republic

Commission said Is that AG brother? AG is the biggest promoter in ATL Republic is the after hour spot since there’s no more Compound

That's who it looks like

Learn how to spell you stupid bi*ch !

I could have sworn there was a thread with a YouTube interview with him on here some time ago.

Regardless, RIP.

“Sceen”

Stay in school kids