Oakland’s In-N-Out became the restaurant chain’s first location to close permanently earlier this year, a decision the fast food company’s owner recently reiterated, citing rampant crime, slow police response times and “absolutely” blamed “dangerous” conditions for customers and employees.

In-N-Out officials had previously blamed rising crime for the closure, and the chain’s owner, Lynsi Snyder, explained the decision in an interview with conservative media outlet PragerU on Monday. The popular burger joint, which first opened in Baldwin Park in 1948, opened its 400th location last year and is now in eight states.

The Oakland restaurant, which closed in March, was located near Hegenberger Road, a main route to and from Oakland International Airport.

“Out of 365 days, I think close to 300 days, there was some kind of event, something in Oakland,” Snyder said of the location.

She stated that there were robberies, car thefts, violence, fights and thefts.

“There was actually a shot that went through the store,” Synder said.

When In-N-Out announced the closure in January, Denny Warnick, the company’s chief operating officer, said that “despite repeated steps to create safer conditions,” the restaurant was closing because customers were regularly victims of crime.

On Monday, Synder said the store had been closed to protect its employees, adding: “We just felt like this wasn’t right and also the time it would take for the police to get there was alarming.” “

In-N-Out representatives did not respond to the Times’ request for clarification on police response times.

In a statement, Oakland police said overall crime rates were down 34% compared to this time last year.

“Continued collaboration with our law enforcement partners, implementation of Ceasefire’s gun violence prevention strategy, and greatly improved 911 response times continue to pay dividends,” the statement said.

Still, other well-known restaurants and businesses in Oakland have closed because of the city’s crime problem.

In response to the problem, state officials offered their support and residents voted to recall the mayor, whom many blamed for Oakland’s lack of law enforcement.

In February, Gov. Gavin Newsom sent 120 highway patrol officers to the city as part of a state law enforcement campaign to curb violent crime and theft.

City and nonprofit officials are working on Restoring Ceasefire, a prevention program that connects residents with life coaches and services that include therapy, drug rehabilitation and job training. City officials credited the program with leading to a 43% decrease in homicides between 2012 and 2017. The program failed during the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person visits were suspended.

A group called Oakland United to Recall Sheng Thao lobbied to remove her as mayor for failing to declare a crime emergency, failing to replace the fire chief she fired in February and a 2023 deadline to apply of more than $276 million in available state funds to cities and counties to combat retail theft.