VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The manager of West Beach Tavern wants to clear up what happened around the restaurant early Saturday morning.
"I would love people to know that we had no incidents on the premises, outside, or even directly across the street," Shani Yourman told News 3 on Monday.
Police say four people were shot ina chaotic incident along Cleveland Street just after midnight Saturday.
Officers were already in the area to keep an eye on the restaurant due to other incidents being reported to them.
Police say two officers saw a group get into an argument near the front of the restaurant and say people then started shooting at each other.
Two police officers shot at someone with a gun, but apparently missed, according to police.
Four people were hurt in the other crossfire, but all have non-life-threatening injuries.
There was a show going on inside the restaurant at the time. A security team was checking people for guns at the front door, Yourman said.
"This threat happened [to the left of the restaurant], which, again, security had no control over what's going on on [that] block," she said.
Yourman said police haven't told her if the people who were shot had been inside the restaurant. One of the four was a 17-year-old girl.
"If she was in the establishment, she was accompanied by her parents or grandparents or part of the family," said Yourman.
Other nearby businesses say they feel like things have turned chaotic around the restaurant recently. Another shooting a few months ago sent a bullet into the window of a neighboring business, an employee said.
"I think it's out of control, and Virginia Beach needs to start doing more about it," said the employee, who didn't want to be identified.
Yourman says she is cooperating with the investigation and is re-evaluating protocols at the restaurant.
"If there are concerns about this establishment being able to hold an event safely, what would you say?" News 3 asked Yourman.
"I would say I try my best to make sure we are safe and for the long run, what we've been having in the building - zero issues. Zero issues, whatsoever," she replied.
Yourman also notes unfortunately shootings have been happening around restaurants and other establishments across Hampton Roads.
"The situation we have in Hampton Roads begs the question: What have we done wrong? What have we done wrong?" she said.
Virginia Beach Police declined to answer additional questions about the incident on Monday. The two officers involved in the incident are on administrative assignment while an investigation plays out.
