Sals closed by shooting reopens

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/10/2012 (5073 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Salisbury House restaurant on Stafford Street at Pembina Highway is reopening this morning — 16 days after a gangland-style shooting killed one man and injured another.

The restaurant closed Sept. 27 in the aftermath of the slaying and during the subsequent police investigation.

Duncan Keith, a spokesman for the restaurant chain, said in a prepared statement the company is thankful to customers and supporters who called and wrote while the restaurant was closed.

The chain had to replace several of the restaurant’s large windows, which were peppered with bullet holes.

Jeffrey Lau, 23, was killed and Garrick Nickel, 22, was wounded.

Winnipeg police said both men were targeted by the shooter.

Justice sources told the Free Press the victims had ties to the city’s illicit drug trade and the shooting was a public display of the war between emerging crime groups fighting for control of Winnipeg.

Police have not made any arrests in the case.

Brad Kramble, Salisbury House’s vice-president of operations, said there was no unnecessary delay in reopening, adding the company had to wait for materials to be shipped.

“There was a lot of renovations,” Kramble said. “We had to wait for materials. The carpeting only arrived (Friday) morning.”

Kramble said he expects company president Earl Barish will be at the reopened restaurant sometime either today or Sunday.