Summer events hosted by Crows Nest cancelled amid safety concerns

SANTA CRUZ, CALIF. (KION-TV)- People who were at the Crow's Nest last Thursday night still remember the scary moments they experienced.

"I was out in front of the restaurant, kind of heard something, and turned and saw, some shots being fired and I just, like, turning around the other way." said Benjamin Meyer, who lives in Santa Cruz.

Meyer said it's a situation he doesn't want anyone else to go through, and, he's not the only one who has been shaken up about that tragic evening.

"These are difficult times we're living in, so, you know, we got to be careful." said Tania Mustain, who lives in Santa Cruz.

Because of the shooting, The Santa Cruz Port District has announced that they have cancelled the rest of the Thursday Night Beach Barbecue events hosted by the Crow's Nest Restaurant.

According to a press release from the district, the decision comes in the wake of a shooting in the area on August 8th that left two people in critical condition. Officials say this is the most responsible course of action as they look into the impacts to public safety that's associated with having large gatherings at the harbor.

In regards to the decision, Port Director Holland MacLaurie stated in the press release:

"The Port District remains committed to ensuring a safe and enjoyable environment for the
community and will work closely with the Crow’s Nest Restaurant to review the future of this
longstanding event series. We extend our condolences to those affected by the incident and appreciate the ongoing understanding and support."

Something that Mustain said is the best decision to make for the safety of the people.

"We have to use precautions, so we got to respect what they're doing, it's just the level of maybe bringing up security." said Mustain.

But for people like Meyer, he said even though what happened last week was devastating, he still considers Santa Cruz a safe area.

"You have to be smart, and I feel like one of these incidents maybe happens once a decade in this area." said Meyer.