Alderman files to rezone Garfield Ridge bar after triple shooting; hundreds pack community meeting

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Hundreds of neighbors packed into a meeting Tuesday night, demanding the permanent closure of a bar in Garfield Ridge.

One person was killed, and two others were injured Friday in a shootout outside the business at 71st Street and Archer Avenue.

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That bar is closed in the wake of Friday's shooting, but the alderman of the ward filed paperwork Tuesday to try to rezone the property to shut it down permanently.

It was standing room only on the Southwest Side, as residents expressed outrage following the incident that's shaken the neighborhood.

"We're just not going to put up with it. We're going to come together as a community and make sure that this stuff doesn't happen in our neighborhood," said Al Cacciottolo, president of the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch.

Hundreds signed a petition at the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch meeting.

The petition called for the permanent closure of the bar formerly known as Halina's Pub.

"This is terrible. It's devastating, let alone for the victim, but the families. I mean, our people here in this neighborhood don't want this to go on," said Mike Doherty, vice president of the neighborhood watch.

Alderman Marty Quinn said the shooting happened on the first night the bar reopened, after closing earlier this month under a previous owner. The new owner, according to the alderman, was operating without a proper liquor license.

"You have to be in compliance with the city of Chicago, and this community isn't going to tolerate shenanigans," 13th Ward Ald. Quinn said.

Quinn said city business inspectors were inside the bar when the shooting occurred outside between an armed security guard and two men.

"A physical altercation which ended up in shots being fired, there were two weapons that were recovered," Chicago police Cmdr. Bryan Spreyne said.

Quinn has now filed an ordinance that needs City Council approval to rezone the bar from commercial to residential.

"The owners of the property are going to feel the full weight of the city of Chicago," Quinn said.

A message left for the bar's previous owner was not returned.

ABC7 Chicago's attempts to identify and reach the new owner were not successful.

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