Local country bar patrons speak on security following Thousand Oaks shooting

Late Wednesday night, a gunman opened fire inside a popular country line dancing bar. The crowd filled with many students gathered for college night at the “Borderline Bar and Grill” in Thousand Oaks. Before the gunman took his own life, he took the lives of 12 people, including a Sgt with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.

The environment at ‘Neil’s Lounge’ in Indio is likely very similar to that of ‘Borderline Bar and Grill’ in Thousand Oaks. Country music blaring, patrons dancing.

“Terrible. There’s a lot of sick people out there,” said Mark Miller, a patron at Neil’s Lounge. “They don’t expect that they’re just out having a good time and then bang. Scary place this world we’re living in now.”

Customers and employees tell KESQ & CBS Local 2 while the Thousand Oaks shooting is scary and senseless, but nonetheless, they feel secure.

“We have a heavy duty security force especially at night, people get frisked,” said David Walker, BBQ Chef at Neil’s Lounge.

“At night time they have good security here – all the doors are manned and they check people pretty good here,” Miller said.

The shooting in Thousand Oaks was a big topic of conversation among the customers inside Neil’s, but they say they remain undeterred from enjoying a couple drinks and of course, what they come for, the country music.

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