Associated Press
A fight between two groups turned deadly in Florida when a shooting in a Tampa street during Halloween festivities resulted in two deaths and 18 people hospitalized early Sunday morning, police said. One suspect is in custody and at least one more is being sought.
At least two shooters opened fire just before 3 a.m. on the 1600 block of East 7th Avenue in the Ybor City area, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said during a press conference at the scene.
The fight occurred in an area with several bars and clubs, and there were large numbers of late night revelers in the area at the time, Bercaw said. Police were not immediately sure if the people involved in the fight were inside any of the bars before the shooting.
Tampa police spokeswoman Jonee Lewis said “hundreds” of people were out on the streets as numerous nightspots closed early Sunday. She said one person was detained but no charges were immediately filed. “They’re being questioned and we’ll go from there,” Lewis said.
Police have not released the names of those killed, but Emmitt Wilson said his 14-year-old son, Elijah, was one of the fatalities. Wilson came to the scene Sunday after getting a call that his son was a victim.
“It’s madness to me. I don’t even feel like I’m here right now,” Wilson said. “I hope the investigators do their job and find out who killed my son.”
Video posted online shows people, many in Halloween costumes, drinking and talking on the street when about a dozen shots ring out followed seconds later by about eight more, creating a stampede. Some people topple over metal tables and take cover behind them. Video from the aftermath shows police officers treating several people lying wounded on the ground.
“It was a disturbance or a fight between two groups. And in this fight between two groups we had hundreds of innocent people involved that were in the way,” Bercaw said.
He did not provide details of the injuries suffered by the victims taken to area hospitals.
Police are still investigating the reason for the fight between the two groups, he said.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, a former city Police Chief, said the problem isn’t a lack of policing, but the easy access to guns.
“Yet again, a senseless loss of life by those choosing to settle a dispute with firearms. Lives lost and others forever changed. To what end? The Tampa Police Department had 50 officers deployed in the area at the time, so this is not a law enforcement issue. Bad decisions made in a split second and the proliferation of readily available guns are responsible for these almost daily incidents,” she said in a statement.
On Sunday morning, the scene of the shooting was quiet — with few businesses open yet, as officers had the area blocked off. Roosters that roam the historic Ybor City streets wandered among empty cups, beer bottles and shoes left behind.
A witch costume sat in the street.
Two young women who came to the scene Sunday morning said they decided not to go to Ybor City the night before because of the crowds.
“We know how Ybor gets,” said Minna Cohen, a 23-year-old recent University of Tampa graduate. “A lot of crime happens here often. You sometimes know not to go to certain places.”
Her friend, 21-year-old Carolina Londoner, said when the bars all close in the early morning hours the streets are packed and unruly.
“When everyone comes together it gets messy, and it’s that way all night,” she said.
___
Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
21 comments
Boastful Ronny
October 29, 2023 at 11:23 am
“I want all of the USA to be just like Florida!”
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Boastful Earl A Church Going Man
October 29, 2023 at 11:24 am
Where is Earl when all the shooting happens? Is Earl going to come for us all next?
Earl Pitts "THE RIGHT REVERAND" American
October 29, 2023 at 11:35 am
Good mornting America,
A little interpertation by the Right Reverand is required here.
A LITTLE INTERPERTATION:
“A fight between two groups” means:
Two Local Black Gangs which had some sort of a beef over something related to drug trafficking had a shoot out with no regard for the safety of inocent bystanders.
There ya go for all of y’all not familliar with the Dook 4 Brains Leftist Media’s Brave New Reporting Methods.
Thank you America,
Earl Pitts “THE RIGHT REVERAND” American
Tommy Davidson
October 29, 2023 at 12:00 pm
Thanks Rev.
Most of down here at fish camp were speculating those shooters were likley Pinallas School Board members arguing with Hillsborough school board members over which board was the most successfull groomers.
We had no clue whatsoever it was gangs of dead beat dads having a shoot out over a drug deal gone bad
Thanks for clearing that thare up. Why does the media lie to us Rev?
Big T.
rick whitaker
October 29, 2023 at 8:50 pm
CAN YOU BELIEVE EARL THINKS HE’S FUNNY. YOUR COMMENT ACTUALLY WAS.
Don
October 29, 2023 at 1:08 pm
Spell check dude
rick whitaker
October 29, 2023 at 8:52 pm
EARL MISSPELLS ON PURPOSE, HE THINKS IT’S FUNNY
Earl Pitts is a Pedophile
October 29, 2023 at 2:43 pm
It’s a shame you’re not one of the victims.
rick whitaker
October 29, 2023 at 8:48 pm
WARNING ⚠ TROLL COMMENT BY EARL
PeterH
October 29, 2023 at 12:21 pm
This is Florida! Our elected officials have promised you that they will do nothing to curtail the Second Amendment with sensible gun reform. Your safety is up to you! Stay away from large crowds or crowd gathering places. Shop at Walmart at opening or closing when there are fewer gun targets. Bar gathering areas are not safe. Get off the street at 10PM!
Bwj
October 29, 2023 at 1:01 pm
I guess that this was another failure of liberal gun laws, right governor?
My Take
October 29, 2023 at 2:14 pm
Illegal immigrants, Covid, liberal judges, Hamas.
No Defense In Unsafe Florida
October 29, 2023 at 2:19 pm
JEFFREEEEPSEITN!!!!!!
Marconi
October 29, 2023 at 3:19 pm
Demographic, not Trump supporters,
My Take
October 29, 2023 at 4:25 pm
Mental illness; medicine side effects, especially vaccines.
The NRA is a terror cult.
October 29, 2023 at 4:53 pm
I’ve come to assume that each and every gun owner is a potential murderer now and there’s no such thing as a “Good Guy with a Gun”.
rick whitaker
October 29, 2023 at 8:53 pm
NEVER WAS
My Take
October 29, 2023 at 6:50 pm
They aŕe gun fondlers. They are enamored with their guns. They caress them. They love them. They cannot live without them.
My Take
October 29, 2023 at 6:52 pm
They talk about them. They talk to them.
Mike
October 29, 2023 at 8:58 pm
Thanks republicans
Comments are closed.