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2 Found Dead After Bar Fight

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By BILLY TOWNSEND, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 27, 2007

LAKELAND - Two men were shot to death early Wednesday in Lakeland in the aftermath of a bar fight, Lakeland police said.

They have been identified as Jason Cobb, 33, of 929 N. Gilmore Ave., and Luther T. Golliday, 24, of 1222 E. Parker St.

They were shot at different sites near the Club Kathleen bar at 704 N. Lincoln Ave., said Jack Gillen, a police spokesman.

Gillen gave this account of what happened:

The trouble started at about 2:20 a.m. Wednesday immediately after Club Kathleen closed and a large crowd spilled out. Tuesday nights have become busy at the bar, which sometimes has hundreds of patrons.

At some point, a dispute broke out and guns were drawn. Cobb was shot and found across the street from the bar near an auto store. He was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center by medics, where he died.

Soon after, about a quarter-mile away, Golliday was shot in the parking lot of a BP station at 835 W. Memorial Blvd. He was taken to Lakeland Regional by a person who has not been identified. He likely was dead before he reached the hospital, Gillen said.

Police are interviewing witnesses but don't have suspects, Gillen said.

Gillen said crowds from Club Kathleen spilling into the surrounding neighborhood have become a routine headache for police. The doors of Club Kathleen were locked Wednesday morning; no one answered knocks.

About two years ago, the former owner of the BP station was shot and killed inside the station during a late-night robbery. Gillen said the current owner of the BP station said he heard gunfire, locked the station and didn't see anything that happened, Gillen said.

There's no indication that the BP was targeted in Wednesday's shooting or that robbery was a motive in either killing, Gillen said.

Reporter Billy Townsend can be reached at (863) 284-1409.

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