Suit: Man suing Gresham bar, employee who shot him over basketball bet

A patron is suing a Gresham neighborhood bar and the man who allegedly shot him there in April during an argument over a bet.

Trevor Woods filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court against Roemell Wooten, the owner of There Lounge, and his employee, Daryl Brown. He seeks more than $150,000 in damages.

Brown and Woods got into an argument April 3 at the lounge, 8235 S. Ashland Ave., over bets placed on a college basketball layoff game, according to the suit. During the argument, Brown, who was employed “to do various jobs at There Lounge,” went to a room behind the bar, got a loaded handgun and fired it at Woods.

Woods suffered a graze wound to his face and was taken to Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park for treatment, according to Chicago Police. Brown, of Oak Lawn, faces attempted first-degree murder charges in connection with the shooting.

Woods seeks more than $100,000 in damages from Wooten and says the bar was negligent when it allowed Brown to become intoxicated and gave him access to the loaded gun, according to the suit.

Attempts to contact Wooten at the lounge for comment were unsuccessful Tuesday night. State and city databases showed his liquor license was still active, but a phone number for the bar had been disconnected.

The suit also seeks more than $50,000 in damages from Brown for the shooting.

Bail was set at $800,000 for Brown during a court appearance in April, according to Cook County Sheriff’s Office records. He remains held at the jail in lieu of bond and was scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 23.