SUSSEX COUNTY, Del.- Laci Richards was with her husband Arrick the night he was shot and killed at the Coastal Taproom.
Playing the altercation back in her mind was difficult.
"My husband asked to play pool and unfortunately the guy just didn’t like him," Richards said. "They had a few words and reached over me and another guy and shot him in the chest."
Three children are left behind without their father. Oldest son Quardell recognizes the big shoes he has to fill.
"The way he’s driven me to be who I am now and stay strong for my mom," Quardell said. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn’t for dad. You know what I’m saying like staying strong as a young man and now having to be the man in the house."
Coastal Taproom is hosting a fundraiser Wednesday for the family. Starboard is the venue so families can bring children including friends of the Richards’ kids. Owner Steve Montgomery says the incident was tragic both for the victim and his family but also the owners of the taproom.
"We certainly wanted to help him, do something for the family of the victim but this is also a way of us helping him and his business a little bit by showing support and stick together," Montgomery said.
Big Chill Surf Cantina will not be opening Wednesday until the fundraiser is over but customers are able to come back here and more money will be given to the family from the proceeds raised tonight.
General Manager AJ Borrero had a special bond with Arrick.
"Ironically, me and him shared the same birthday so that's how we met and from there we’d been celebrating our birthdays ever since so it's sad for sure," Borrero said. "It’s a tough loss for everybody involved and for a senseless act that didn’t need to happen at all."
The fundraiser will be going on until 8 p.m. Big Chill Surf Cantina will be open after until 1 a.m. If you can’t make it to either bar a GoFundMe page can be found at https://bit.ly/3JGdo6L.
The bar industry and the county coming together to rally around a broken family.
