Strip club where security guard was killed condemned for operating without a license

HYATTSVILLE, Md. — The Area Code strip club is now closed and according to county citations it appears it should have been closed when a shooting happened there that claimed the life of 28-year-old security guard Alex Lynch. 

Lynch's family believes if the business had been following the law he would still be alive. 

"I would never have thought I would be burying my baby brother," Aaron Watkins told WUSA9 about Lynch who he said was a father of a 4-year-old son. 

"His son was his pride and joy," said Watkins who described his brother as a man with a generous heart and life of the party.

"Never a dull moment with Alex," Watkins said.

"No drama," added his cousin Okia Ferguson. "It was just all smiles."

And no real enemies that his family knew about. 

Which makes it even harder for them to understand why police say someone pulled up to the Area Code club where they say Lynch was working a second job as a security guard, opened fire and killed him.

"He never told me about no beef...my brother's not even a fighter," said Watkins.

Prince George's County Police said Tuesday they do not believe Lynch was armed at the the time of the shooting. They also said two other people inside the club were also hit but should be okay. 

Police say they are reviewing security video and looking for potentially more than one suspect. 

Tuesday night, signs on the door of Area Code show the club is now condemned. Among the violations: a failure to obtain an occupancy permit.

WUSA9 has reached out to the county and the club’s owner for clarity on the citations and why the club was open at the time of the shooting.

"The owner of that nightclub...I need answers from you, too," said Watkins. "How you open your establishment knowing your license is not legit? If you did not do that my brother would not be dead right now."