Washington [US], October 30: The Associated Press quoted police chief Lee Bercaw as saying at least two people opened fire at about 3 a.m. on October 29 in the Ybor City area with many bars and nightclubs in the city of Tampa. Mr. Bercaw said there were many revelers in the area at the time of the shootout .
Tampa police spokeswoman Jonee Lewis said there were hundreds of people on the street when night entertainment venues closed in the early morning of October 29.
After the gunfight , two people were killed and 18 were injured. One person was detained but was not immediately prosecuted.
In the video posted online, many people dressed in Halloween costumes , drinking alcohol and chatting on the street as gunshots rang out, leading to chaos and stampede. Some people overturned metal tables to hide behind them. Another video shot after the incident showed police treating many injured people.
"This is a disorder or fight between two groups and there are hundreds of innocent people caught in the middle of that situation," Mr. Bercaw said. Police are investigating the cause of the gunfight and looking for the shooting suspects .
Mayor Jane Castor said the problem that led to the gunfight was not the lack of police but the easy access to guns and ammunition. "Once again, lives were senselessly taken by those who chose to resolve conflicts with guns. The Tampa Police Department had 50 officers deployed in the area at the time, so this was not is a matter of law enforcement," Ms. Castor said in a statement.
Source: ThanhNien Newspaper