In the wake of a deadly shooting at an LGBTQ bar in Colorado earlier this month where five people were killed, a popular bar in Hillcrest is screening patrons with metal-detecting wands.
The Rail, which is located at the intersection of Robinson and 5th avenues, will screen customers with handheld metal-detecting wands at the entrance for "the foreseeable future," according to a post on the club's Facebook page that also said that the "precautionary measures" are being taken to keep bar-goers and other community members safe. The Rail also thanked the community for its cooperation and understanding.
Bar manager Wesley Bullen said adding the new security measure was a difficult decision, but a necessary one.
"We're a welcoming community, we're a welcoming bar and our main priority is keeping my staff safe, our patrons safe and to just let everybody have a good time and celebrate," Bullen said.
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The mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs left five dead and at least 17 wounded by gunfire. Hillcrest resident Leonardo Pacciani Mori said he's worried about San Diego's gay community becoming a target after the Club Q shooting, and thinks The Rail is making the right call.
"I think everybody would like for this not to be a necessity, but if it's for our safety then I think it's OK," Mori said. "Unfortunately, yes [I think they're necessary]."
Hillcrest visitor Marcela Gomez doesn't mind being wanded down on her nights out.
"They check our IDs to see if we're old enough, let's check to see if we have something that will put us in danger," Gomez said.
Bullen said his bar has used the wands before during big events like Pride and that his security staff is trained to use them correctly.
If someone is found to have a weapon, "We will not let them in," Bullen said. "We will have them return their weapon to their car or they just do not come in."
Mass Shooting in Colorado
The Club Q gunman was taken down in part by Army veteran Rich Fierro, who had gathered with friends and family and whose instincts from his military training immediately kicked in when he heard the gunfire.
Fierro, a graduate of Mira Mesa High School and San Diego State University, served four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is one of two men police are crediting with saving lives by subduing the 22-year-old suspect at Club Q, a well-known gathering place for the LGBTQ community.
The accused gunman, who was carrying multiple weapons and additional ammunition magazines, faces murder and hate crime charges.
According to its Facebook bio, considered "San Diego’s first gay bar, The Rail originally opened for business in the 1930s in downtown’s historic Orpheum Theatre building," eventually relocating to Hillcrest in the '60s.
