How a Doral bar reopened for customers after a mass shooting killed a security guard
After shutting down for more than a week after a mass shooting that killed two people, Martini Bar Doral reopened Thursday. The nightspot welcomed newcomers and regulars as it marked the life and death of security guard George Castellanos.
Aside from a fundraiser and the nightclub’s reopening, it seemed like any other night at the bar, with music playing and drinks flowing.
Ricardo Luzuriga, 38, sipped drinks, accompanied by his seven-month-pregnant wife, Mayra Luzuriga, at the outdoor bar, and they chatted with fellow patrons. The pair were eager to return to what they call their “special spot.”
“It is a comfortable and fun place to go out to,” Ricardo Luzuriga said, noting his wife was pregnant with their first child when they discovered the bar two years ago. “I never heard of any past history at this place.”
He said they drive to the Doral spot from Fort Lauderdale for the “vibe.”
“It’s different; it has that level of fancy and class,” he said.
As part of the reopening, all profits through Monday will go to Castellanos’ 1-year-old daughter, Everlyn, and family. An online donation site was also set up.
Martini Bar co-owner Louis J. Terminello said he has focued on creating an environment of safety that his customers and workers could return to.
“The focus tonight is honoring George, coming together as a community and doing everything we can to help the family,” said Terminello, who is also chair of the Hospitality, Alcohol & Leisure Industry Group at GreenspoonMarder LLC.
READ MORE: Security guard killed in Doral bar shooting was an FIU student and future police officer
The bar increased security on Thursday with metal-detecting wands, pat-down procedures and an increase in personnel. And more police and security roamed CityPlace Doral, 8300 NW 36th St.
“It’s been a tremendously difficult time for all of us. It’s still hard to believe it’s even real,” Terminello said. “We are so grateful for everyone that has come out tonight. It means the world to us.”
As midnight approached into Friday morning, the crowd reached a little over two dozen people. For a Thursday night, it was business as usual for a spot busier on the weekend.
“We do our most business during Friday and Saturday into the early morning hours, as most clubs do,” he said.
Garreth Stokes has been to the bar several times and was happy to return.
“It’s a beautiful city; it’s an upcoming city,” he said. “There is a sense of family among the staff who have worked for sometimes decades together — security, bartenders and all the staff.”
Shooting leaves two dead
During the early hours of April 6, James Wayne Wood, 37, shot to death security guard George Alejandro Castellanos, 23, after he tried to intervene in an argument between Wood and another patron at Martini Bar.
Two off-duty Doral police officers were just outside the bar and rushed to confront Wood. They shot at him, and he returned fire — dying in the gunfight.
“The investigation is ongoing so I can’t speak to any details. But it’s important to note this is the first incident like this at a Martini Bar location in 30 years,” Terminello said. “This is a horrific tragedy but not any kind of systemic issue.”
Released 911 calls detailed the fear and panic after bullets went flying. One woman begged an operator for help as someone she was with was shot.
“They’re dying,” she said.
Another caller reported that people were down, an officer was down and a mass shooting was taking place.
READ MORE: ‘Mass shooting. People down’: 911 calls reveal frantic scene during Doral bar shooting
Six bar patrons were injured, and a Doral officer also was hurt. Carlos Milan, his fiance Yaniris Jerez and her brother Miguel Jerez were among those caught in the shooting.
Yaniris, 30, was shot in the leg and Miguel, 34, and Milan, 38, were taken to the ICU for their injuries at Jackson Memorial Hospital and HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, respectively. Miguel was shot in the stomach and Milan was hit four times.
The Jerez siblings filed a civil lawsuit against Martini Bar Thursday, alleging the business was negligent.
“This tragic event underscores a profound failure in certain security measures implemented by CityPlace Doral and Martini Bar Doral,” The Ferraro Group, the Miami law firm representing the duo, said in a statement.
READ MORE: Doral mass shooting victims’ lawsuit says Martini Bar and CityPlace Doral were negligent
Terminello said, “I can’t speak to any legal matters right now.”
City may force bars to close earlier
Martini Bar, along with other Doral bars and nightclubs, could see restrictions in the aftermath of the shooting.
During a city council workshop earlier this month, Doral Mayor Christi Fraga said she would propose a review of decade-old policies concerning alcohol sales and the closing times of bars and nightclubs.
Specifically, the proposal would have those establishments close at 2 a.m. instead of 3 a.m. or 4 a.m., the current closing times for some, and have the last call for alcohol sales be 1:30 a.m.
Seven Doral businesses are at the center of the proposal, including Martini Bar and Trump National Doral Miami.
READ MORE: Doral mayor proposes tougher restrictions on nightlife venues following mass shooting
Terminello said, “This is deeply personal to me, our staff and our community. But it’s important for all of us to not have a knee-jerk reaction and overcorrect, which could be detrimental to local businesses and the people of Doral who support their families by working at this establishment.”
Fraga will make the proposal during the May 8 council meeting. Some on the City Council have already expressed hesitancy about the plan, and the majority of the council did not attend the April 10 workshop where she presented her idea.
For Martini Bar, closing even a few hours earlier could be harmful to the business.
“It actually has a huge financial impact on our staff and local businesses. But it wouldn’t actually enhance security,” Terminello said. “This has been a deeply personal tragedy for us, and we have already put measures in place to enhance our already rigorous security on various fronts. Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our staff and patrons.”
