Rockford Police Chief Says Don Carter Lanes Was Within Compliance

Don Carter Lanes and Shooters hold a special place in my heart and have been a part of Q98.5 and 97ZOK for decades. On behalf of the staff here, we are heartbroken and hurting for the families of the deceased and those injured. We're also thinking of the owners, staff, and patrons who call the bowling center their second home/safe place.

While the motive behind the mass shooting inside Don Carter Lanes (DCL) remains unanswered, one thing that has been confirmed is whether or not the bowling center was within Illinois Region 1's mitigation compliance.

On Saturday night, a business that is known for its contributions to the community through countless fundraisers over decades, hundreds of bowling tournaments, and a place for kids and adults to enjoy themself, turned into a nightmare. Three innocent lives were taken, three others with injured, and lives were forever changed, all within a matter of minutes. Reports have circulated all over the United States and information has begun to be released, the first in a press conference Sunday morning.

In typical social media fashion, "experts" (also known as people who think they know everything) have been quick to question why Don Carter Lanes was open the night of the deadly shooting. Some of these people have gone as far as blaming DCL for the lives lost had they not been open for business. The question comes during a time when the current mitigation efforts for Region 1 in Illinois, which includes Winnebago County, has caused many bars, and restaurants, and business which bring people together have remained closed. The information regarding whether or not DCL was within compliance with the mitigation order was confirmed by Rockford Police Chief Dan O'Shea in Sunday's press conference.

The business downstairs, which is a bowling alley and separate bar were all closed. The upstairs bar facility was within compliance of the mitigation efforts. It's a double garage door open type business where they can operate and have limited numbers of people, so the mitigation of the business was within compliance.

It is appalling that, in a time of pain for many, people post senseless comments without reading or listening to accurate information.

JB Love is ½ of  Q98.5's Lil Zim & JB In The Morning, weekday mornings from 5:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.