CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa. — For La’Tazia Mac her birthday turned into what she calls “a living nightmare.” She was with friends at the Taboo nightclub downtown when a gunman, perhaps two, maybe three, opened fire. Her friends Nicole Owens, 35. and Michael Valentine, 25, died on the spot. Ten others were wounded. This was about 1:30 a.m. What happened that night?
Taboo Nightclub. The taboo is a classy place in lower level of historic Sokol Building. The place opened 2019. It specialized in events: Birthdays, engagement parries, after-wedding parties, and corporate events. The bar was fully stocked. Seating included cushy tufted booths. Music was often live from a disc-jockey booth. The club promoted itself as “an exclusive setting that gives every person a VIP experience.” It’s “a relaxing atmosphere to sit back and enjoy yourself.” Specialty events included hookah Nights with Persian-style waterpipes that combined nicotine, carbon monoxide and sweet flavors loke apple, chocolate, coconut, licorice or watermelon. The specialty theme the night of April 9 was the1990s.
Luxury escape. Booze, hookahs and overstuffed seating.
Nicole Owens. La’Tazia Mac had known Nicole Owens and her family her whole life. The Owens had grown grow up in Chicago, Nicole moved to Cedar Rapids five years ago. Other members of the family followed. With her sister Allison she started a clothing business two years ago. Being a bard worker and to make ends meet, Nicole also worked other jobs. She had just been hired full-time at Nordstrom Rack. Her sister Allison told a Cedar Rapids Gazette reporter sher that remembers her “like a second mother” to her four sisters. “She took care of her girls, and just worked, worked, worked,” Allison said. “She was always loving and sweet to everybody. She made a lot of friends. Everybody just loved her.” She had a 2-year-old daughter.
Owens. Hers a fashionista boutique.
Michael Valentine . La’Tazia Mac had known Michael Valentine since the eighth grade. She acknowledged in an interview with the Cedar Rapids Gazette that Valentine had some difficulties in his life but he was working on overcoming them. He served some time in prison on burglary and gun charges, but since he was released on parole in 2018, he’d been working hard to turn his life around, Mac said. “He worked three jobs and had the brightest future ahead of him,” Mac said. “He was doing his best to make it work with his second chance at life and he was robbed of it.” Valentine had a son whom Mac called his inspiration.
Valentine, Putting a jail record behind him.