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‘Zero Ducks Given’: All you need to know about the controversial Ozarks pool party that everyone's talking about

While two were shot, four others were hit by shrapnel in the Florida incident around 7.30 pm on Saturday on South Ocean Avenue near Breakers Oceanfront Park
UPDATED MAY 25, 2020
(Fan video)
(Fan video)

How long can you stop the partygoers from letting their hair down? A restaurant seems to have gotten into major scrutiny after calling attendees for ‘Zero Ducks Given Pool Party’ at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Amid the pandemic scare, video footage from the crowded pool party at Backwater Jacks Bar & Grill at Osage Beach in Missouri surfaced online. Organized for the Memorial Day long weekend in the US, the venue publicized the event on Facebook and invited people to join in. St Louis station KMOV-TV reported that hundreds of people were drinking and swimming while flouting social distancing rules amid COVID-19.

What was the event?

Dubbed as "adult, party rock pool party", the description read, "Are you looking for a crazy, adult pool party where the only thing that matters is FUN!!! Then Zero Ducks Given is just the party for you." Their post further read, "Extra precautions and safety measures will be taken to provide a safe environment for you to enjoy the event. Must be 21+ for the pool party portion. The restaurant is open to all ages."

Who performed?

According to the Facebook post, Dee Jay Silver headlined the event along with additional sets by DJs Styles and Ol Skewl. The live DJ music went on from 11 am to 6.30 pm, after which the bands took over.  

When and where was it held?

The event was held on Saturday, May 23 from 11 am to 7 pm. The pool party was previously held on May 25, 2019, and September 29, 2017, at Backwater Jack's Bar And Grill.

Price

Reportedly, the pool party charged $10 for each entry.

Precautions and safety measures

According to their Facebook page, here are the precautions the organizers took: 
* Operating at a reduced capacity to allow social distancing.
* Non-contact thermal temperature screenings of all attendees will take place at the entrance.
* Personal bottles of hand sanitizer available free at the gate.
* Additional hand sanitizing stations located throughout the property.
* Attendants will be continually cleaning and sanitizing bathrooms.
* Paramedic on staff the entire duration of the event.

What really happened?

According to 7News, Jodi Akins, from Blue Springs, told CNN that she attended it with four other friends. “When we walked up, my first words were ‘oh my gosh’. It was intense for sure!!” she said, adding, “Social distancing was nonexistent.”

According to KMov, Scott Passmore who is in the Ozarks said, "I was just blown away by how overcrowded it was, it looked like a typical Memorial Day weekend. You wouldn't have known there were any coronavirus fears anywhere," and added, "A pool like that holds 100 people and it had 200 people in it."

He added, "I didn't want to ho jump in the pool, I'll tell you that. I wouldn't have jumped in that pool if there was no coronavirus around," he said. "It was mostly young people, looking like they were looking to live their life and have a party, and they couldn't care less about it."

According to the same report, Osage Beach Mayor John Olivarri said, "The reality is this, the obligation, from my perspective, is for the individual themselves, in other words, if they come to the Lake of the Ozarks, or they stay in St. Louis, if they go someplace where they don't feel comfortable, then I applaud them for making the decision to go somewhere else." 

While the City of St Louis and St Louis County plan to reopen some pools in early June, St Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson is not supportive of the decision. “It’s irresponsible and dangerous to engage in such high-risk behavior just to have some fun over the extended holiday weekend. Now, these folks will be going home to St Louis and counties across Missouri and the Midwest, raising concerns about the potential of more positive cases, hospitalizations, and tragically, deaths. Deeply disturbing.”

Before the event, Bill Morgan, manager of Robins Resort in Lake of the Ozarks, told KTVI, “It’s supposed to be one of the biggest Memorial Day weekends we’ve seen at the lake here in years.” 

Social media response

People are freaking out after watching the videos. One tweeted, "#ZeroDucksGiven is right- these videos sum up why we will suffer much longer than necessary with this virus- Thanks #MO for leading the way, unless of course your pool was filled with sanitizer instead of water. #ItsNotAllAboutU," and another said, "Two people are shot during a Daytona Beach celebration while hundreds gather for a 'Zero Ducks Given' pool party in Missouri as the US sees wild Memorial Day blowouts after lockdown was eased."

"That doesn't look like social distancing to me. Good luck to them Two people are shot during a #DaytonaBeach celebration while hundreds gather for a 'Zero Ducks Given' pool party," one tweet read and another said, "I don't disagree, that shit was asking for trouble and the business absolutely knew what they were doing, ffs they called it, "zero ducks given". I watch most people trying there best to give space and not cause harm. I really think majority of people care."

One said, "I have been to this place before. Luckily it was two years ago during the week and only 20 ish people were there. Even without COVID I would never get in a pool with that many people!" Another post read, "Like a scene out of an 80s horror flick with drunk people hooking up before they all get killed."

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