Alderman wants Southwest Side Chicago bar shut down after deadly shootout
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A deadly shootout outside a Garfield Ridge neighborhood bar has raised new questions about the establishment—and whether it should have been operating in the first place.
The local alderman wants it shut down.
In front of a packed room of Garfield Ridge residents, Ald. Marty Quinn (14th) said people should not be fooled by a flimsy sign claiming the bar, formerly known as Halina's Pub at 7023 W. Archer Ave., is under new management.
Quinn accuses the former owner of the bar and the new ownership of brokering an illegal backroom deal that skirts city liquor laws. He emphasized that liquor licenses are not transferrable.
"The full weight of the City of Chicago is coming down on this property in light of what took place on Friday," Quinn said.
Police said just before 8 p.m. Friday, a quarrel led to the shooting of three people. A security guard with a concealed carry license was approached by two men, one of them armed, and a shootout ensued, police said.
The exchange of gunfire left a 27-year-old man dead and a 31-year-old man wounded. The security guard, a 28-year-old man, was also shot and taken to the hospital in critical condition.
"It was never a problem under one ownership," said Mike Doherty, vice president of Garfield Ridge Neighbor Watch. "This other ownership that came in, we have no idea who, what, where, when."
For decades, the bar operated as Halina's—but it went out of business earlier this month. But to the surprise of the alderman and the community, the bar reopened, apparently under new management, last Friday—the same night as the shooting.
Chicago Lawn (8th) Police District Cmdr. Bryan Spreyne said city inspectors were in the bar at the time of the shooting.
"Any business that opens has to open and cooperate with the City of Chicago with licensing and investigations," Spreyne said.
Some of the meeting came to the defense of the former bar owner.
"She still owns the business," one woman said. "She was financing them for the building."
Most residents were there to sign a petition and support a change in zoning that could close the business for good—which Quinn thinks is a fine idea.
"Working with the community, I filed an ordinance today to change the zoning to single family dwelling—which will preserve this community's right to have a front-row seat as to what's going to go there next," Quinn said.
While Ald. Quinn said city inspectors were inside during the shooting, the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection said the investigation is ongoing and decline to comment.
