Birmingham man charged in Dothan murder

Dothan police have charged a man working security at a rapper’s concert with a shooting death outside a downtown nightclub early Sunday morning.

Dothan Police Sgt. Will Glover said police investigators have arrested Travarius Dewaunkalis Daniel, 30, of Birmingham and charged him with murder. Daniel is being held without bail.

Dothan police found Anthony Jerome Robinson, 26, of Cottonwood, with a gunshot wound to the chest just outside a club called Primetime. Police responded around 3:15 a.m. to the club located on East Powell Street. Robinson died at Southeast Alabama Medical Center later Sunday morning.

Dothan attorney Billy Joe Sheffield, who has been retained to represent Daniel, said his client worked as head of security for the promotional group hired by Primetime. Daniel was not a member of the security for the rapper, Webbie.

Glover, the supervisor of the violent crimes unit, said about 50 people were gathered up by police after the murder, which he said included Daniel.

Glover said the murder was the result of an altercation that started inside the club, and escalated outside.

“There were approximately 30 people that we believe were involved in the altercation, and at this time it's unclear if the victim was involved in the fight,” Glover said. “We’re still doing more interviews so we don’t know how it all started.”

A Dothan police statement said that during the fight, Daniel allegedly pulled a handgun and fatally shot Robinson. Daniel then ran across the road where he fired two additional rounds.

Daniel then tried to go into a nearby business before going back to Primetime where he was detained by police.

Glover said Daniel was originally only charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing after he was banned from the club earlier in the evening.

“He came down with the security detail for the performer,” Glover said.

According to the Primetime Dothan Facebook page, the nightclub posted their condolences to the Robinson family after he was shot to death outside the club after a Webbie concert.

The club also apologized in the posting to their patrons for being detained inside the club for seven to eight hours for questioning so Dothan police could work on their investigation.

“Our heart goes out to everyone affected by this senseless act of violence, and may God continue to watch over us all in this time of uncertainty,” the Facebook posting said.

Glover said security for both the nightclub and the performer at the nightclub that night were involved in the altercation.

Glover said police charged several other people with misdemeanor marijuana possession during the massive investigation at the nightclub.

“It was part of the drag net,” Glover said.

Agents with the Alabama Alcohol Beverage Control Board and the Houston County Sheriff’s Office have assisted in the ongoing investigation.

Lt. Kenny Davis, the agent in charge of the Dothan ABC office, said there is an ongoing investigation into circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting and how it may impact the alcohol license for Primetime.

“They have had some ABC administrative violations in the past,” Davis said. “Criminal conduct has occurred at that license location, they have pleaded guilty and they have paid their fines on it.”

Davis said he could not comment on what type of criminal conduct has occurred at the nightclub in the past.

Sheila Brady, Robinson’s girlfriend, said she’d hoped police would make an arrest in his murder to bring him some peace. Brady said she is pregnant with Robinson’s baby.

“The baby is going to be named after him, Anthony Jerome Robinson Jr.,” Brady said. “I strongly believe when the baby is born, Anthony is going to be reborn. He left me something special, and that’s this baby. He was a great person, and had a great heart."