A shooting in Tampa left two dead and at least 18 injured during Halloween festivities early Sunday morning, police said.
Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said a fight broke out between two groups of people when two suspected shooters opened fire at around 3 a.m. in an area with several bars and clubs, according to The Associated Press. Tampa police spokeswoman Jonee Lewis said “hundreds” of people were outside as the fight broke out, per the outlet.
Footage posted to X (formerly Twitter) shows law enforcement and medical personnel tending to people in Halloween costumes bleeding on the sidewalk from a gun wound.
🚨 #BREAKING: Mass shooting during a Halloween celebration has left at least 18 people injured and 2 individuals deceased. 👀#YborCity | #Tampa | #Florida
Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw has reported that the shooting occurred following a fight between two groups of… pic.twitter.com/O5Hr8NAd7g
— HumanDilemma (@HumanDilemma_) October 29, 2023
Another video posted to X shows the start of gunfire causing people to panic and to run for their lives. Many were dressed in Halloween costumes and walking out of bars and restaurants in celebration of the upcoming holiday. (RELATED: Suspect Identified In Maine Mass Shooting)
🔥🚨BREAKING: At least 18 people are injured and 2 dead after a mass shooting during a Halloween celebration in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida this morning. pic.twitter.com/ZF4mzI0dnU
— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) October 29, 2023
Authorities said one person was been taken into custody and questioned, the Associated Press reported. No charges have currently been handed down. One of the suspects reportedly turned himself in to the police, Fox News reported.
A 14-year-old boy, Elijah, was one of those killed in the gunfight, per the outlet. His father, Emmitt Wilson, rushed to the scene after being notified his son was a victim, the outlet reported.
“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.”
The cause of the shooting is currently unknown and remains under investigation, Fox News reported.