Linky

2 shot outside Downtown bar -- Injuries not life-threatening; suspect is in police custody By Dustin Block RACINE - The owner of Ricky's Place and one of his employees were shot by an unruly patron outside of the Main Street bar early Friday morning, police said. Rick Smetana, the owner of Ricky's, and Nicholas Seeger, a bar employee, were both treated and released from St. Mary's Medical Center with gunshot wounds to their torso. Police arrested Antonio R. Martinez, 21, in the shootings. He is being held on two counts of attempted murder. The incident began inside the bar when Martinez and a friend were being disruptive, said Sgt. William Macemon of the Racine Police Department. Smetana, 40, and Seeger, 26, removed the men from the bar. Once outside, Martinez pulled a handgun, shot the two bar employees and fled on foot down Third Street to Wisconsin Avenue. Bar patrons followed Martinez and police arrested him a short time after the shooting on Sam's River Road. `No clue what to do' Adam Hertzberg, a Racine native visiting home for the weekend, was inside Ricky's when the shooting occurred. He said a fight started in the back of the bar, and employees then threw two people out of the Main Street entrance. "They were maybe walking a little faster than they wanted to, but I didn't think anything of it," Hertzberg said. But after a few minutes, Hertzberg said he heard a "pop-pop" sound from outside of the bar and everyone inside Ricky's hit the ground. Hertzberg said the mood in the bar was calm, but confused. "Nobody was screaming or anything," he said. "It was a lot of people having no clue what to do." After the gunshots, an employee at Ricky's told everyone to get out of the bar. Hertzberg said he and others he was with left Ricky's out a backdoor, where they heard another gunshot near Third Street. They took cover behind a trash container until the suspect had left the scene. Despite the shooting, Hertzberg said he believed Downtown was a safe place and that he would go back to Ricky's. "I know a lot of people are freaked out, but I see it as a random thing," he said. `Isolated incident' Macemon said the incident was not related to the recent string of homicides in the city. "This is definitely not connected with anything else," Macemon said. "This is a case of an incident in a bar escalating into gunfire." Alderman Keith Fair, whose district includes Ricky's Place, said Friday he believed the shooting at Ricky's was an "isolated incident" that does not suggest there is a crime problem in Downtown Racine. "We have to be cautious not to turn this situation into more than it is, and exacerbate the situation," said Fair, who lives two doors from where the shooting occurred. "It's not like the Downtown area is crime-ridden," Fair said. "It (Downtown) is just not that way, and we know it's not that way." He added that, as a resident, he has not had problems with Ricky's or the bar's customers. "Especially since I've been in office, there hasn't been any negative types of activities in the area," Fair said. Doug Nicholson, owner of Ivanhoe's Pub, which sits across the street from Ricky's, said the shooting shouldn't harm Downtown's reputation. "We are not going to let the bad apple ruin the work of so many people who have strived to make Downtown the type of area that increases the quality of life for its citizens," said Nicholson, who helped close Ricky's Friday morning - and get the bar ready to open on Friday night. Antonio Martinez is being held in the Racine County Jail. Police are still searching for a friend of Antonio Martinez who was at the scene of the crime. They would like to interview him as a witness to the shootings. Anyone with information on his whereabouts asked to call the Police Department at (262) 635-7700.

I used to hang out back in the day with the bar employee that was shot. Good to know he's ok. Nick is a really good guy and sure as hell doesn't deserve what happened to him

Another story from a slightly different prospective.

Linky

08/12: Inside Ricky's: ‘No clue what to do’ Category: General Posted by: Dustin Adam Hertzberg, who was visiting Racine for the weekend, was inside Ricky’s when the shooting occurred. He said a fight started in the back of the bar, and employees then threw two people out of the Main Street entrance. “They were maybe walking a little faster than they wanted to, but I didn’t think anything of it,” Hertzberg said. But after a few minutes, Hertzberg said he heard a “pop-pop” sound from outside of the bar and everyone inside Ricky’s hit the ground. Hertzberg said the mood in the bar was calm, but confused. “Nobody was screaming or anything,” he said. “It was a lot of people having no clue what to do.” After the gunshots, an employee at Ricky’s told everyone to get out of the bar. Hertzberg said he and others he was with left Ricky’s out a backdoor, where they heard another gunshot near Third Street. They took cover behind a trash container until the suspect had left the scene. Despite the shooting, Hertzberg, who grew up in Racine, said he believed Downtown was a safe place and that he would go back to Ricky’s. “I know a lot of people are freaked out, but I see it as a random thing,” he said.

Something I think people need to take away from this little artical, and many won't. Make it a point to know where the alternate exits/entrances are to any bar/resturaunt/store you go to. Look for them when you go in. Know where they are in relation to you when you are in the establishment.

Quoted: Linky 2 shot outside Downtown bar -- Injuries not life-threatening; suspect is in police custody By Dustin Block RACINE - The owner of Ricky's Place and one of his employees were shot by an unruly patron outside of the Main Street bar early Friday morning, police said. Rick Smetana, the owner of Ricky's, and Nicholas Seeger, a bar employee, were both treated and released from St. Mary's Medical Center with gunshot wounds to their torso. Police arrested Antonio R. Martinez, 21, in the shootings. He is being held on two counts of attempted murder. The incident began inside the bar when Martinez and a friend were being disruptive, said Sgt. William Macemon of the Racine Police Department. Smetana, 40, and Seeger, 26, removed the men from the bar. Once outside, Martinez pulled a handgun, shot the two bar employees and fled on foot down Third Street to Wisconsin Avenue. Bar patrons followed Martinez and police arrested him a short time after the shooting on Sam's River Road. `No clue what to do' Adam Hertzberg, a Racine native visiting home for the weekend, was inside Ricky's when the shooting occurred. He said a fight started in the back of the bar, and employees then threw two people out of the Main Street entrance. "They were maybe walking a little faster than they wanted to, but I didn't think anything of it," Hertzberg said. But after a few minutes, Hertzberg said he heard a "pop-pop" sound from outside of the bar and everyone inside Ricky's hit the ground. Hertzberg said the mood in the bar was calm, but confused. "Nobody was screaming or anything," he said. "It was a lot of people having no clue what to do." After the gunshots, an employee at Ricky's told everyone to get out of the bar. Hertzberg said he and others he was with left Ricky's out a backdoor, where they heard another gunshot near Third Street. They took cover behind a trash container until the suspect had left the scene. Despite the shooting, Hertzberg said he believed Downtown was a safe place and that he would go back to Ricky's. "I know a lot of people are freaked out, but I see it as a random thing," he said. `Isolated incident' Macemon said the incident was not related to the recent string of homicides in the city. "This is definitely not connected with anything else," Macemon said. "This is a case of an incident in a bar escalating into gunfire." Alderman Keith Fair, whose district includes Ricky's Place, said Friday he believed the shooting at Ricky's was an "isolated incident" that does not suggest there is a crime problem in Downtown Racine. "We have to be cautious not to turn this situation into more than it is, and exacerbate the situation," said Fair, who lives two doors from where the shooting occurred. "It's not like the Downtown area is crime-ridden," Fair said. "It (Downtown) is just not that way, and we know it's not that way." He added that, as a resident, he has not had problems with Ricky's or the bar's customers. "Especially since I've been in office, there hasn't been any negative types of activities in the area," Fair said. Doug Nicholson, owner of Ivanhoe's Pub, which sits across the street from Ricky's, said the shooting shouldn't harm Downtown's reputation. "We are not going to let the bad apple ruin the work of so many people who have strived to make Downtown the type of area that increases the quality of life for its citizens," said Nicholson, who helped close Ricky's Friday morning - and get the bar ready to open on Friday night. Antonio Martinez is being held in the Racine County Jail. Police are still searching for a friend of Antonio Martinez who was at the scene of the crime. They would like to interview him as a witness to the shootings. Anyone with information on his whereabouts asked to call the Police Department at (262) 635-7700. I used to hang out back in the day with the bar employee that was shot. Good to know he's ok. Nick is a really good guy and sure as hell doesn't deserve what happened to him Another story from a slightly different prospective. Linky 08/12: Inside Ricky's: ‘No clue what to do’ Category: General Posted by: Dustin Adam Hertzberg, who was visiting Racine for the weekend, was inside Ricky’s when the shooting occurred. He said a fight started in the back of the bar, and employees then threw two people out of the Main Street entrance. “They were maybe walking a little faster than they wanted to, but I didn’t think anything of it,” Hertzberg said. But after a few minutes, Hertzberg said he heard a “pop-pop” sound from outside of the bar and everyone inside Ricky’s hit the ground. Hertzberg said the mood in the bar was calm, but confused. “Nobody was screaming or anything,” he said. “It was a lot of people having no clue what to do.” After the gunshots, an employee at Ricky’s told everyone to get out of the bar. Hertzberg said he and others he was with left Ricky’s out a backdoor, where they heard another gunshot near Third Street. They took cover behind a trash container until the suspect had left the scene. Despite the shooting, Hertzberg, who grew up in Racine, said he believed Downtown was a safe place and that he would go back to Ricky’s. “I know a lot of people are freaked out, but I see it as a random thing,” he said. Something I think people need to take away from this little artical, and many won't. Make it a point to know where the alternate exits/entrances are to any bar/resturaunt/store you go to. Look for them when you go in. Know where they are in relation to you when you are in the establishment.

Always be aware of your environment

Shoot first ............. I mean, ..... well ........ just shoot first.

Quoted: Shoot first ............. I mean, ..... well ........ just shoot first.

StopBangPolice