Dooley's Pub closes due to health hazards

Dooley's Pub in Rochester shut down over a shocking video, catch an exclusive interview with the pub's owner.

Ginsburg./// thank you for joining us for kimt news 3 at 10?

"* i'm katie lange.

And i'm george mallet.

First tonight: a popular watering hole in rochester... is facing another round of controversy.

Olmsted county has suspended the food and beverage license of dooley's pub in rochester.

The decision followed the release of a youtube video showed people without masks pouring shots into patrons' mouths.

Kimt news 3's isabella basco has kimt news 3's exclusive interview with the pub's owner.

Isabella?

Well ?

"* you'll see here ?

"* people won't be ending their night at dooley's.

The pub is closing for 72 hours.

Tonight kimt news 3 exclusively heard from pub owner tory runkle on his side of the story.

Xxx "i posted that video in part because i was entrusted by a whistleblower to get the information out there."

A jaw?

"*dropping video.

"if you behave like this, you're not going to get a free pass."

The video enraged councilmember michael wojcik.

"it was painful for me to sit on it as long as i did because i was angry as soon as i saw it."

The video also jeapordized an establishment that has had numerous incidents requiring police visits.

And, in july ?

*- dooley's shut its doors after two employees tested positive for covid?

"*19.

"we've had a number of issues there ?

"* particularly with covid?

"*19 *- we've had issues there."

But dooley's owner tory runkle is quick to point out there's more to the story.

"it was not employees, it was some friends of one of our employees, it was something that we used to do back in the day and obviously it's not allowed now."

Runkle says ?

"* he's already implemented new policies to make his establishment safer.

"if we close down earlier, we should be able to handle everything from here on out."

But runkle is facing a lot of uncertainty ?

"* managing a business ?

"* h believes is often targeted by critics.

"if a meteor was heading towards earth, it'd be dooley's fault ?

"* in any cas*- i was the first bar to close down downtown ?

"* just becausei didn't want to be the bar that was blamed for everything."

Wojcik wants to hold people accountable for their actions.

"we're in a pandemic!

Act like it."

Runkle tells kimt news 3 ?

"* he was preparing for the vikings home opener and was not there when the video was recorded ?

*- but he takes responsibility for what happened.

Runkle also tells kimt news 3 he's hoping to open dooley's next week.

Wojcik tellss us city staff manages the lease with dooley's and has the authority to terminate it.

He says he