Survivors of the Borderline Bar & Grill shooting and longtime patrons of the bar came together Thursday night for the first time since a gunman opened fire there in early November.
Security was tight as hundreds lined up to reunite with their country music family at the nearby Canyon Club, which opened its doors to them for a night of dancing. Borderline, located in Thousands Oaks, California, remains closed.
“I think tonight is a huge step forward for all of us,” Kelsey Lewis, who was DJing during the shooting, told Inside Edition. “I am so happy that people are getting past their anxieties and fears.”
Jamie Knapp, whose son survived the shooting that killed 12, told Inside Edition, “I just consider myself the lucky one because I still have a boy.”
Knapp added that “music always does” help with the healing and “dancing always makes you smile.”
Amanda Collins had been going to Borderline for as long as she can remember. “I just want to be supportive," she said. "I know so many have lost so much."
Brian Hynes, Borderline's owner, told Inside Edition that he doesn't know when the club will reopen. Right now, a memorial outside commemorates those who lost their lives.
For now, however, the focus is on healing through dancing.
RELATED STORIES
Former Dallas Police Officer Charged With Murder in Shooting of Unarmed Black Man
Tamera Mowry Makes Emotional Return to 'The Real' After Niece's Death in Shooting
In 24 Hours, a Woman Survives Mass Shooting, Then Her Family's Home Burns Down