Sheriff Shittu, a 30-year-old Nigerian fashion designer who moved to America to build his dream, was shot and killed inside a Brooklyn nightclub early on Valentine’s Day after confronting a drunken patron who allegedly groped women, including his girlfriend.
The shooting occurred at about 4:25 a.m. on February 14 at Quilox Restaurant and Lounge in the East Flatbush area of Brooklyn. Shittu had been at the club with his younger brother, Fawaz, celebrating a friend’s birthday. Their mother, Foluke, was due to arrive from Nigeria the following day for a planned visit.
What Happened
According to family members, trouble began when an intoxicated patron became disorderly and began making inappropriate advances toward female guests. Witnesses said the man had groped several women, including the sheriff’s girlfriend.
Sheriff intervened, leading to a heated exchange. Though the brothers briefly left the venue, they returned when the sheriff realized he had forgotten his mobile phone.
The club owner tried to defuse the situation, telling patrons: “Don’t mind that person — he’s a crazy guy”. Moments later, as security personnel were escorting the suspect out, he allegedly produced a firearm and opened fire.
Fawaz described the devastating moment: “I was screaming his name. I was trying to wake him up”. A bartender rushed to perform CPR on Sheriff, who lay motionless on the floor.
Medics rushed Sheriff to Brookdale University Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The family kept him on life support for days, hoping for a miracle. The gunman fled the scene and remains at large.
Security Questions
The family has raised urgent questions about how a weapon was brought into the nightclub.
“We don’t know why the security failed to properly search before somebody brought a gun into the club,” Salem Shittu, another brother, told reporters. “He was being kicked out and was being escorted out when he did it”.
Fawaz echoed the concern: “Security didn’t do its job. They didn’t search. You’re supposed to check people and their bags”.
The Man They Lost
Sheriff immigrated to the United States from Nigeria in 2018. He worked as a security guard while building his own fashion label, Riff Ent, determined to make his mark in the industry.
His family described him as warm, protective, and hardworking. “He was a very sweet person, very outgoing. He was protective of his family, his friends and his loved ones,” Salem said.
His mother, Foluke, 60, learned of her son’s death only after her plane touched down in New York for what was meant to be a happy visit. “My son was a very kind person. I love him. We spoke on Friday and I arrived on Sunday. That’s when they told me,” she said.
Justice Demanded
The NYPD has launched a manhunt for the suspect, described as last seen wearing a black jacket and white trousers. Investigators are examining surveillance footage and witness accounts.
The family’s demands are clear.
“We want him to get life in prison, the maximum sentence,” Salem said. “If there’s a death penalty in New York, use that”.
For now, the Shittu family clings to faith and each other. “We’re just feeling sad, and everybody is holding it in. We’re trying to be strong right now, but we’re really worried about getting justice for him,” Salem said.
The killing comes barely a week after another Nigerian, 20-year-old Khaleed Oladipo, a student at De Montfort University, was stabbed to death in Leicester, United Kingdom — twin tragedies that have sent shockwaves through the Nigerian diaspora.
For the Shittu family, the path forward is clear. “We’re going to keep pushing his brand,” Salem said. “We’re just trying make a way for one another”.
