India, Nov. 4 -- Miss Kitty's Country Bar and Nightclub in Des Moines, Iowa, is under fire after a man dressed as a Nazi attended a Halloween event at the venue, prompting outrage on social media.

On Friday, a man identified as local business owner Donnie Gardner appeared at the bar wearing a Nazi soldier uniform, complete with a swastika, an iron cross medallion, and a cropped mustache. Photos of Gardner in the costume quickly circulated online, sparking criticism.

In a text to ABC affiliate WOI-DT, Gardner acknowledged the costume was "very controversial" but said he did not "idolize or worship the man or anything he did" and wore it solely "for shock value."

He also issued an apology "to anyone caught in the crosshairs and suffering...