The Borderline Bar and Grill does not intend to be kept down by last week’s grisly shooting.
The restaurant where a gunman took 12 lives last Wednesday night will eventually reopen, according to a report by TMZ. The outlet spoke to the attorney representing Borderline, Brian Hynes, who said that it will “absolutely” be open for business sooner or later.
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Hynes could not estimate when the restaurant would be operational again, especially since law enforcement is still investigating the scene. Forensic specialists are expected to take until Tuesday to complete their analysis of the bar.
Even then, there is no telling how long re-opening could take, as the city of Thousand Oaks has been mostly evacuated due to the California wildfires closing in. If the Borderline Bar and Grill is left standing, it will take some serious clean-up to get it open for business again.
The Borderline’s official website has been reduced to a single page, with a message to patrons about the bar’s future. It asks for people to stop trying to plan vigils there for the victims, allowing law enforcement to finish their work.
“We understand there has been discussion about a potential gathering at the Borderline venue to remember the victims of Wednesday night’s event,” it reads. “At this time, the investigation is still ongoing and there is no event planned on or near the Borderline facility until further notice per law enforcement.”
“We are working together with local officials and organizations to plan an upcoming, offsite event to honor and remember the lives of those we lost,” it continued. “We ask that you please respect law enforcement and their teams as the investigation continues.”
The Borderline Bar and Grill is directing patrons to a GoFundMe page for the victims of the shooting and their families. It lists the names and ages of the deceased, with the exception of the shooter.
“This fundraiser is meant to provide relief and financial support to the victims and families of this tragic Thousand Oaks mass shooting,” it reads.
At least 10 people were reportedly injured in the shooting, leaving them with unexpected medical bills and a whole host of other new trials to deal with all of the sudden.
The shooter, 28-year-old U.S. Marine Corps veteran Ian Long, took his own life as law enforcement closed in on him. The killer used a handgun with a high-capacity magazine, banned by law in Thousand Oaks. In his other hand, he held a cell phone on which he made a few haunting social media posts during the massacre.
