After fatal shooting at CityPlace, Doral mayor proposes changes to force bars to close earlier
DORAL - The City of Doral held a special meeting Wednesday in the aftermath of Saturday's fatal shooting that claimed the life of a security guard and left several others wounded.
"We are going to be changing the rollback or the time of operation from 3:59 a.m. to 2 a.m. and last call at 1:30 a.m. for anyone who falls under entertainment establishments, restaurants will still at 1 a.m." said Doral City Mayor Christi Fragaduring the meeting at Doral City Hall.
The mayor's decision stems in part, from Doral residents who asked for immediate changes after the deadly shooting over the weekend.
"Money is not the issue here, bettering this would be changing the times (for last call of alcohol)," said Claudia Cancio, a Doral resident to who spoke at the meeting. So did, Brandley Cava, "Nothing good happens at three in the morning, this is a family-friendly city. This is a mostly residential place."
Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez talked during the meeting. Mayor Fraga asked questions to Lopez, specifically if he knew if Martine Bar was "doing frisks or security checks upon entrance" (to patrons on Friday night – the eve of the tragedy).
"I know that the business conducts those occasionally, I don't know if that evening a search was conducted on patrons," responded Lopez.
According to police, George Castellanos, 23, was working security when the fight broke out. He tried to stop it but was shot and killed. He was a father to a 14-month-old daughter.
Officers quickly stepped in and fatally shot the shooter, identified as 37-year-old Jamal Wayne Wood, according to police. During the shooting, seven other people were injured: two women and four men, along with a Doral Police officer who was shot in the leg.
Castellanos' parents talked to CBS News Miami's Ivan Taylor. They said Martini Bar normally searches patrons, but that did not occur on Friday night. "That day they had changed the person who does the padding to somebody else, he was new."
Meanwhile, Doral Councilwoman Maureen Porras said the Martini Bar is under the lens of the city, "There is no clear indication at this time, from what I have been reviewing that Martini Bar may have had permission to be serving alcohol for consumption past the 2 a.m. curfew that applies currently under the latest ordinance that was passed in 2022."
According to Doral police, Saturday's deadly shooting happened at 3:30 a.m.
On April 24th Doral elected officials will have the first reading to discuss the changes Mayor Fraga is proposing to the current ordinance, which would affect at least seven bars in the City of Doral.