Hartigan's Irish Pub Owner Speaks Out After Murder

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by FOX Charlotte

Story Created: Dec 8, 2011 at 12:49 AM EDT

Story Updated: Dec 8, 2011 at 12:49 AM EDT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - "This is just a horrible tragedy that to me is just senseless and it's...it's just horrible," says Jill Phillips as she fights back tears.  A fight at her business, Hartigan's Irish Pub, spilled out into the parking lot Sunday morning and left 30-year-old Antoinette Baker dead.  32-year-old Katie Robinson is charged with her murder.

FOX News @ Ten anchor Morgan Fogarty asked Phillips, who was there that night, why the women started fighting.  She says, "I can't really comment on that. I just know that our employees put themselves at risk and were injured in the process." 

Not badly hurt, but emotionally scarred.  Phillips closed the pub for two days.  Wednesday's crowd is the first through the doors since Baker lay dying in the parking lot.  They showed up to support not only the restaurant they love, but the Baker family as well.   There is a donation and condolences box set up near the front door.  Phillips has not yet spoken to Baker's family.  She says, "Hopefully when the details come out then they'll know we did absolutely everything we could to help Ms. Baker and the police department."

Phillips says one of her co-owners ran to get towels and another was on the phone with 911.  An anonymous witness has accused the owners of not allowing people to help Baker.  "Yeah, I mean, that's just ridiculous, she called herself a first responder but from what I understand she is a security guard at a bank."

Phillips says speaking out is the first step toward normalcy for her and her staff.  She wants people to know this about the business she's owned for the past three and a half years: "If everyone just knew that we did everything we possibly could, that will give me some peace of mind," she says as tears roll down her face.

Phillips says there was a security guard in the pub the night of the fight.  There were even security cameras, but they had just been installed the day before and were not recording.
 

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