MELBOURNE, Fla. – Police records show two downtown Melbourne bar patrons called 911 to report date-rape drugs were slipped into their drinks on Christmas Eve and Jan. 20.
A female caller told the operator, "I just think that I was drugged," adding she was barhopping on East New Haven Avenue when it happened.
Another caller told the operator his girlfriend was drugged at Hurricane Creek Saloon.
"She said she was feeling funny, so we came home," he said. "The hospital just called back with the blood results, and it was a roofie."
Last Sunday, Hurricane Creek Saloon expressed its concerns on Facebook about date-rape drugs in the downtown area.
Posted by Hurricane Creek Saloon on Sunday, January 27, 2019
The bar is receiving a lot of positive feedback for raising awareness.
"People (are) just sharing it, and people (are) very excited they're actually being proactive to try and inhibit roofies from being spread and all these drugs that can be slipped into drinks so easily," downtown resident Shelley Walton said.
Owner Randy Bennett said while he wrote the Facebook post, the drugs were not slipped into drinks at Hurricane Creek Saloon, which is contrary to what one of the 911 callers reported.
"We have not had anything reported to us," Bennett said.
Hurricane Creek has surveillance cameras and security staff in place to deter anyone from spiking drinks.
Bar patron Hannah Fullem said she believes she was drugged about a year ago while barhopping downtown.
"I don't remember anything and I was completely obliterated," Fullem said. "Luckily, I was with my girlfriends, so nothing really happened, but somebody definitely slipped something in my drink."
Bennett pointed out that date-rape drugs in bars are a societal issue.
"Sadly, it is something that happens in every city around this country," he said.
When asked if his social media post will help deter the activity, Bennett said, "Whether it stops it or not, I hope it takes a giant step toward people who would be looking to do something stupid like that to know that they're on notice in downtown Melbourne."
Many of the downtown bar owners meet four times a year with the city's downtown entertainment district and police officers to discuss issues and concerns.