In the early hours of Sunday, during Halloween festivities, a violent altercation erupted in Tampa, Florida, resulting in two fatalities and at least 18 injuries.
The incident occurred amidst a crowd of hundreds, as two groups engaged in a dispute around a popular nightlife strip on East 7th Avenue.
Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw, as reported by WFLX, confirmed the incident took place just before 3:00 a.m. He described the situation as a "disturbance or a fight between two groups," adding that hundreds of innocent bystanders were caught in the crossfire.
Footage of the incident, shared on social media, depicted a chaotic scene. Revelers, clad in Halloween costumes, were seen scrambling for safety as shots rang out. Some sought cover behind overturned tables, while others fled the scene. Subsequent videos showed police officers attending to the injured.
According to the New York Post, police officers were already present when the shooting began, but none were injured. Bercaw appealed to the public for assistance, urging anyone with video footage of the incident to contact the police. "Were asking anybody that was out there that has video... to please report it to us, he said, providing the non-emergency line number, 813-231-6130.
Following the incident, at least one individual believed to be involved in the shooting surrendered to authorities. However, at least one other shooter remains at large. Bercaw emphasized the need for accountability, stating, "We need to hold those [responsible] accountable."
The circumstances leading up to the violence remain unclear, including whether the individuals involved had been patrons at any of the area's clubs or bars prior to the shooting.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, in a statement reported by ABC News, lamented the "senseless loss of life" and the impact of "bad decisions made in a split second."
She noted that 50 Tampa police officers were on the scene following the shooting, asserting that the incident was not a law enforcement issue. Instead, she attributed the tragedy to the "proliferation of readily available guns," which she said were responsible for such incidents occurring almost daily.
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