MIAMI.- The Doral Council approved in second reading an ordinance that reduces opening hours and introduces new security measures in nightclubs and bars in that city, after an armed incident was recorded about two months ago in a night establishment in that city. municipality, leaving two people dead and seven more injured.
The measure, approved by a 4-1 vote, sets the closing time at 3:30 a.m., with last call to order liquor at 2:30 a.m. Previously, businesses with a license to sell alcoholic beverages closed their doors at 4:00 am, with authorization to purchase liquor until 3:50 am.
The new municipal rule includes about nine establishments, including Martini Bar, in City Place, where a shooting took place on April 6 that claimed the life of security guard George Castellanos, 23, and the alleged perpetrator of the incident. armed Jamal Wood, in addition to seven injured people who were in the bar.
The vote against the ordinance was cast by Mayor Christi Fraga, who proposed the closing time as 2:00 a.m., as the measure had been approved in its first reading vote in May.
The councilor explained to DIARIO LAS AMÉRICAS that her approach differs from what was approved in regards not only to the schedule, but also in terms of security measures.
“Establishments that do not have a permit extension and that can only operate until 2:00 am were left out of the ordinance in terms of security measures,” he said, in addition to putting into context that “the residents were not heard to cut more time from the hours in bars and nightclubs.”
Security measures
The ordinance, originally presented by Councilwoman Maureen Porras, includes security measures such as the installation of metal detection systems, in order to prevent armed people from entering these places.
“With this, we are sending a clear message to the clients of these establishments so that they know that they cannot enter bars and nightclubs in our city with weapons,” said Pineyro.
Another measure indicates that the owners of these businesses will have to hire an off-duty police officer starting at 11:00 pm. Likewise, bars and nightclubs must install security camera systems.
Revision
Rafael Pineyro, Doral councilman, told DIARIO LAS AMÉRICAS that he had initially requested that these businesses suspend their service at 2:30 am and then agreed for the closure to occur at 3:00 am.
“My colleagues Maureen Porras and Oscar Puig voted for it to be at 3:00 am, but the City Clerk, Conny Díaz, when reading the ordinance, said 3:30 am, and perhaps without realizing it, we voted for that time,” explained the local legislator.
Therefore, Pineyro maintained that at the next meeting scheduled for August he will demand a review of the vote, which, in his opinion, could result in the time approved by the councilors being redefined at 3:00 am as the deadline for voting. service in those night establishments.
Motivation of the norm
According to investigations, the shooting that led to the approval of the new ordinance occurred due to an incident related to the use of a chair between several customers on the patio of Martini Bar.
Then a security guard intervened and one of the participants in the dispute pulled out a gun and shot the employee, killing him.
In response to what happened, two police officers intervened in the brawl, after which an exchange of shots took place between the officers and the armed individual, who was finally killed.
