GASTONIA, N.C. — This Wednesday, Nov. 18, two Gaston County restaurants will be hosting fundraisers for the two officers shot last week at a Gastonia nightclub.
Sammy’s Neighborhood Pub in Belmont and Webb Custom Kitchen in Gastonia will both be donating $5 for every special purchased all day.
They say the funds will then be donated to the Gastonia Police Department on behalf of officer M.A. Lewis and Sgt. C.E. Nelson.
“We just want them to know, you know, we care for them,” said John Bailey, who owns Sammy’s Neighborhood Pub in Belmont.
Bailey said they’ll also be selling t-shirts and $5 from each t-shirt sold will also be donated.
“Lots of times when something like this happens, community members say, well we want to do something, but they don’t know-how,” he said. “So this is just a conduit for people to come in and all they really have to do is come in and eat and we take care of the rest.”
In addition to dining in, Bailey said anyone wishing to help can make a donation any day up until Thursday, at either location.
Donations will only be accepted at Sammy’s Neighborhood Pub in Dallas. This restaurant will not be participating in the food special. Click here for more information.
According to Gastonia Police, the two officers were working off-duty at Remedies nightclub Thursday night, when they tried to break up a fight around 11 p.m.
Police say that’s when shots rang out. Gastonia Police said both officers, later identified as Sergeant E. Nelson and Officer M. Lewis, suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
In a Facebook post, the wife of Officer Lewis said, “Michael has a very long road ahead of him but let me tell you all, he is determined, strong, brave, and a warrior. I have no doubt that he is going to do well with recovery.”