LANTANA, Fla. – Victims of a shooting Tuesday at a Lake Worth Beach Irish pub in the early morning hours were all employees of the Old Key Lime House, the manager said.

Old Key Lime House owner Ryan Cordero told WPTV that the restaurant hosted a holiday party at Lilo’s Streetfood & Bar and continued the night at The Rock Irish Pub in Lake Worth Beach.

“It was fantastic, a great time. Everyone enjoys each other’s company, and when it was over, some of the group still wanted to have fun,” Cordero told WPTV’s Todd Wilson. “So they went to a bar at the end of the street, were playing pool, and an evil monster came in and opened fire.”

WPTV

This was announced by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Four men were shot dead in the barin the 600 block of Lake Avenue around 1 a.m

Two of the men died at the scene and two others were taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center. One of them is in critical condition and the other is in stable condition.

The identities of the four victims were not released, but Cordero shared more about the two men who died and the two men who were recovering in the hospital.

“One was a young military veteran who died and another was a barback who died,” he told WPTV. “Our kitchen manager for 20 years is in the intensive care unit. He was shot three times, twice in the back, once in the neck. One of our line cooks was also shot twice. They are both out of surgery and hopefully recovering.”

Cordero said the staff at the Old Key Lime House are like family.

WATCH: WPTV Todd Wilson’s interview with Ryan Cordero, owner of the Old Key Lime House

Interview with the owner of the Old Key Lime House

“These are family members. This isn’t just a restaurant, this isn’t just a store, this is a community, this is a family. We’ve always treated it that way,” he told WPTV. “And we had two of our family members taken away from us last night, after our Christmas party with two other family members in the ICU, and we don’t know what’s going to happen to them.”

Overall, employees are in shock and disbelief knowing that two members will not be returning to work.

“There is a huge lack of words. Your head is just empty. Why? What? How could this happen? How? “Who would do something like that?” he asked rhetorically. “It hurts a lot. It makes me angry. Someone would be so villainous and such a despicable monster.”

The Old Key Lime House is Florida’s oldest waterfront restaurant, Cordero said. He said his family’s restaurant heritage dates back to 1840 in Key West, before the state was even incorporated, and that they were the inventors of Key Lime Pie.

Staff are now comforting each other during this difficult time and simply trying to stick together as a family and move forward as best they can.

“Every family member we’ve lost over the years, we have a picture on the wall and we move forward together,” Cordero told WPTV. “That’s what a family does – all for one and one for all.”

Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS (8477).