KALAMAZOO, MI — A Tik Tok video that went viral last week, prompting an investigation into alleged drink tampering at a Kalamazoo bar, has led to thousands to sign an online petition.
In the video, the woman speaking said late last week she and 14 others were drugged at the Y Bar & Bistro, located near WMU’s main campus in the Campus Pointe Mall at Howard Street and West Michigan Avenue.
Related: Police investigate alleged ‘drink tampering’ at bar near Western Michigan University
She said she and her friends tested positive for opiates and tranquilizers the morning after the incident, and that her doctor told her she “should have died.”
Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Chief Vernon Coakley Jr. said in a statement on April 15 that KDPS had received an outpouring of tips in regard to the bar over a 24-hour period, and had assigned a team of investigators to look into the complaints of “drink tampering” at the popular college bar.
A petition on change.org that hopes to bring greater awareness to the allegations tied to the establishment has been signed over 8,100 times as of Monday, April 19. A protest has also been organized to take place at 5 p.m. Monday outside the bar.
Protest organizer Bailey Crist said she did not know the women involved in last week’s alleged incident, but was inspired to action after seeing the video on Tik Tok. Crist said she has been a victim of drink tampering in the past, but said her experience had nothing to do with Y Bar.
A masters student in social work at Western Michigan University, Crist said she has been to the bar as a patron, and in recent days heard directly from numerous people who said they have either experienced being drugged there or knew someone who had.
“Basically we want the public to be educated on what happened and to boycott the bar,” Crist said. “Raising awareness about the situation is the main goal.”
Crist commended the woman speaking in the Tik Tok video for coming forward and speaking out.
“I just want to thank her for her bravery and for coming forward, despite knowing that the guy that hurt her and her friends is powerful,” Crist said. “Educating the public on what happened to her and sharing her story couldn’t have been easy.”
The Kalamazoo Gazette is not posting the video here, nor naming the alleged victim who came forward, out of privacy concerns for those involved. A request for comment from the woman was not immediately returned.
“Sometimes you have to be the first domino and be the first person that speaks up about a situation in order to make others that have possibly experienced it feel comfortable coming forward as well,” Crist said. “Just because something hasn’t been reported before, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.”
A message from MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette to Y Bar & Bistro, seeking comment on the investigation and allegations, was not immediately returned.
KDPS public information officer Ryan Bridges said Monday that the police investigation is ongoing, and there have been no new developments over the weekend. Bridges said the bar will be allowed to remain open while the investigation is ongoing.
Also on MLive:
Calls for justice ring out in West Michigan cities at protests held in wake of Minnesota shooting
"drink" - Google News
April 15, 2021 at 02:00PM
https://ift.tt/3akQPoH
Alleged drink tampering at Kalamazoo bar prompts thousands to sign online petition - MLive.com
"drink" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2STbaKe
https://ift.tt/2VWmZ3q
Bagikan Berita Ini
ayo segera bergabung dengan saya di D3W4PK
ReplyDeletehanya dengan minimal deposit 10.000 kalian bisa menangkan uang jutaan rupiah
ditunggu apa lagi ayo segera bergabung, dan di coba keberuntungannya
untuk info lebih jelas silahkan di add Whatshapp : +8558778142
terimakasih ya waktunya ^.^