A Nigerian aspiring fashion designer based in the United States, Sheriff Shittu, has been fatally shot following a dispute at a Brooklyn nightclub, leaving his family in mourning and calling for justice.
Shittu was killed when a gunman opened fire inside Quilox Restaurant and Lounge in East Flatbush on Church Avenue near 95th Street at about 4:25 a.m. on Saturday, police said.
The 28-year-old had gone to 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 incident began when a drunken patron allegedly groped women at the venue, including Sheriff’s girlfriend. The sheriff confronted the man, leading to a brief physical altercation.
Disturbed by the situation, the brothers left the club roughly 45 minutes after arriving. However, they returned shortly afterward when they realized Sheriff had left his cellphone behind.
Upon re-entering the lounge, the intoxicated man was reportedly being escorted out. Fawaz said the club owner attempted to calm them, describing the individual as unstable.
“The owner was saying, ‘Don’t mind that person — he’s a crazy guy,’” Fawaz recounted. “A few seconds later, I heard ‘pow,’ and I looked down and I saw my brother.”
A bartender reportedly attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (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 bring a firearm into the club, criticizing the security measures at the venue.
“He was able to escape. I don’t know how that happened or how he got the gun in the club. Security didn’t do its job. They didn’t search. You’re supposed to check people and their bags,” he said.
Emergency responders rushed Sheriff to Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. His family initially kept him on life support in hopes of a miracle.
Another brother, Salem Shittu, 24, described Sheriff as warm, outgoing, and deeply protective of his loved ones.
“He was a very sweet person, very outgoing. He was protective of his family, his friends, and his loved ones,” Salem said.
In a tragic twist, Sheriff was shot just a day before his 60-year-old mother, Foluke Shittu, arrived in the United States for a planned visit to see her sons at their home in Far Rockaway, Queens. She learned of her son’s death only after landing.
“My son was a very kind person,” Foluke said. “I love him. We spoke on Friday, and I arrived on Sunday. That’s when they told me.”
Sheriff immigrated to the United States from Nigeria in 2018. While working as a security guard, he was building his fashion brand, Riff Ent, with hopes of expanding it into a full-scale label.
“We’re going to keep pushing his brand,” Salem said. “We’re just trying to make a way for one another.”
The grieving family is now calling for justice, urging authorities to apprehend the suspect and ensure the maximum penalty under the law.
