Winnipeg Nightlife

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Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 29, 2009 B5

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She was a university student looking to unwind at a local nightclub. But Lynda Cave’s relaxing night out with friends nearly ended with her death.

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Like the woman who died at Saturday’s shot-up wedding reception, Cave was an innocent bystander. Cave was hit multiple times by gunfire as she stood outside a downtown Winnipeg bar in July 2007. Still recovering from her injuries, the young woman has now filed a lawsuit seeking damages for her physical and emotional injuries.

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A statement of claim says the owners of Metro Nitelife failed to protect her and customers following a dispute earlier that night with an unruly customer who was kicked out of the bar but vowed to return for revenge.

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Cave said no one was warned about the incident and police were never called. Cave was standing outside the Garry Street club around 3 a.m. when a car suddenly pulled up and somebody opened fire on a crowd of people.

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Cave was struck with three bullets, which caused substantial damage to her arms and required extensive surgery. Four other people suffered less serious injuries.

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Cave had to quit her bachelor of commerce studies at the University of Manitoba to focus on her rehabilitation, according to court documents. She also moved to British Columbia to be closer to family members.

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Police have charged two people with the attack. The men remain before the courts. Cave has sued them both, in addition to the owners of the now-defunct bar. Her lawsuit says she continues to suffer “severe mental and emotional trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety.”

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Following the shooting, several downtown clubs stepped up security and instituted searches using hand-held metal detectors and the scanning of patrons’ identification. Nightclub owners also requested additional police resources be dispatched to patrol their premises.

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All of the parties named in Cave’s lawsuit have one month to file a statement of defence.

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www.mikeoncrime.com

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Not sure what I think about this one. Should a Nightclub owner be responsible for patrons who are outside of his club? Is there anything the Nightclub staff could have done to really prevent this incident from happening? Do you think she will win her case?

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Just curious as to what some readers may think about this or if anyone has any more information then what was published in the Free Press.

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