A co-owner of Social Liv, the bar and nightclub in Fort Worth where a deadly shooting took place early Sunday morning, said he feels “very sad for everybody who got involved.”
The man, who spoke with NBC 5 over the phone, said he wasn’t in town when the incident happened in the popular West 7th Entertainment District.
One man died and five others were injured in the shooting.
“We built everything by ourselves; something happens like that, we are hurting,” he said.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission said it pulled the venue’s license for a week, per Fort Worth Police’s request, while they investigate.
“This is generally done following a violent incident, usually at the request of local law enforcement. The intent is to allow investigators to complete their initial investigation without the risk of further violence. Once the seven-day suspension is complete, the business may reopen for normal operations,” a TABC spokesperson told NBC 5.
The co-owner that NBC 5 spoke with said he is not sure whether or not they’ll reopen after that seven-day mark.
He said another person was in charge of security, but did not provide their contact information, and NBC 5 was not able to locate them for further questioning.
Fort Worth Police said their patrols will be out in full force ahead of weekend crowds.
“Our assigned 7th street officers will be out in full force as we continue to monitor the area. We are hoping for a peaceful, enjoyable weekend for our citizens while we continue to work on implementing safety measures as needed,” said spokesperson Bradley Perez.
Neighboring businesses in the entertainment district said they don’t want what happened at Social Liv to reflect on the rest of them.
“Yes, the bar is in West 7th, but they’re not operating like the majority of the places here. So, it is—there is a differentiation that people don’t understand,” said Emil Bragdon, president of Funky Lime Hospitality.
Bragdon owns seven bars, five of them in the West 7th area.
He’s also a board member of the West 7th Restaurant and Bar Association, which represents over a dozen businesses in the district.
“A lot of the restaurants and bars in this area operate within our guidelines; we know how to operate,” he said.
He maintained that their entertainment district is still safe, with safety ambassadors and special patrols on the streets, and many businesses conducting security inside their walls.
“There’s nothing else we could’ve done because we’re doing it,” he said.
Bragdon says the association last met on Monday, with police and TABC in attendance.
They voiced concerns over what happened at Social Liv and making sure it doesn’t happen again.
They’re encouraging more businesses to join the Golden Lasso program, a voluntary partnership with Fort Worth Police that includes special training.
A sticker on one of Emil Bragdon’s bars, Koe Wezel’s Riot Room, denotes that the business is certified by Fort Worth Police’s Golden Lasso safety program.
Social Liv was not part of that program.
Accredited businesses will have a sticker in their windows or doors.
“If anyone wants to feel safe coming out, look at which businesses are golden lasso certified, because then you know that the ownership and management are on the same page with the city to make sure that we are conducting business, you know, with the utmost safety at mind,” Bragdon said.
“Right now, we have very, very, very few. And the problem is, the very, very, very few is blanketing the area with a negative publicity that doesn’t stipulate how this area actually is,” he added.
A list provided by Fort Worth Police shows all the businesses, so far, that are accredited through the Golden Lasso program.
One person has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with Sunday’s shooting, which police say is still an active investigation.