The Harp holds fundraiser for security guards shot during attempted car break-in outside bar
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- More than a dozen downtown Milwaukee bars and companies are working together to raise money for two security guards who were shot and injured on the job.
The guards work for The Harp and were shot in the early morning hours of July 24 in the employee parking lot.
The message the bars are sharing is one of unity. The Harp wants their guys to know they're supported in their recovery.
The Harp is also using the fundraiser to try and change the narrative surrounding the downtown area.
Kelley Cramer works at The Harp. He said the shooting "hit everybody pretty hard. We basically wanted to make sure our guys were ok."
The two security guards were trying to stop people from breaking into cars in the employee parking lot, on the corner of Juneau and Edison.
But the 23-year-old and 33-year-old men were both shot, one of them twice, the other once.
One month later, the bar opened its doors on what is usually an off day, joined by more than a dozen neighboring bars.
Cramer said, "We just wanted to make sure to have the biggest impact and make sure they're comfortable and not stressed about working or paying their bills. We want to help cover that for them."
They're donating all of Monday night's proceeds to the security guards' recovery efforts.
But they also want to bring attention to downtown violence, in order to make the area safer.
Cramer said, "It directly affects not only our customers, but now our employees, too. And we want to make sure everybody feels safe. The only way it's going to happen is if we have a better sense of security around here."
Cramer said the service industry in the downtown area is a tight-knit community, and at The Harp they especially consider themselves a family.
They were joined by lots of bars and companies, all donating all proceeds to the guards' recovery efforts. And all were united in one mission.
Cramer said, "It's still a great place to come. We love it here. Everybody loves the whole city. That's why it's a big community around here. We want to keep it that way."
Cramer told us MPD now has one suspect in custody in connection to the shooting.