Man says he was shot, injured at the Nipa Hut

FORT WALTON BEACH — The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an early morning shooting that left one man injured.

Dondre Wright, 26, told investigators he was shot in the leg outside of the Nipa Hut nightclub at 724 Eglin Parkway Sunday, according to a release from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

Read a story about another recent shooting at Nipa Hut. »

The Fort Walton Beach man told deputies he and a friend were accosted by two other men at the Nipa Hut shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday morning, the report said. The club’s bouncers kicked all four of the people out of the club.

“While outside, Wright says three unknown black males approached him and one individual fired a shot,” said Michele Nicholson, spokeswoman for the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. “Wright went back towards the front door where he says he then heard a second shot and felt a tingling in his leg.”

A friend took Wright to the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center where he was treated for a minor wound to his lower left leg, then released, Nicholson said.

“No other details are being released at this time,” she added.

The last shooting at the Eglin Parkway nightclub occurred a little more than a month ago. Archie Parks, 26, was shot inside of the Nipa Hut on December 27 after getting into an argument with Willie “June Bug” King. The incident also occurred at around 3 a.m.

Parks survived the shot to his shoulder after a stay in the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center ICU.

U.S. Marshals arrested King, a Crestview resident, on January 8.

In 2004, two people were murdered at the nightclub. It was under different ownership and known as the Paradise Lounge at the time. The bar changed hands and reopened as the Nipa Hut that September.

Anyone with information in the latest shooting is asked to contact the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office at 850-761-7400 or Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers at 850-863-TIPS.