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Shooting at Fort Myers, Fla., Nightclub Leaves 2 Dead and at Least 16 Hurt Shooting at Nightclub in Fort Myers, Florida, Leaves 2 Dead and at Least 16 Hurt
(about 1 hour later)
MIAMI — Two people were killed and at least 16 were wounded in a shooting early Monday at a nightclub that had been hosting a party for teenagers in Fort Myers, in southwestern Florida, the authorities said.MIAMI — Two people were killed and at least 16 were wounded in a shooting early Monday at a nightclub that had been hosting a party for teenagers in Fort Myers, in southwestern Florida, the authorities said.
Police officers were called to the nightclub, Club Blu, on Evans Avenue about three miles south of City Hall, around 12:30 a.m. Monday. They arrived to find “several victims suffering from gunshot wounds” in the club’s parking lot, Capt. Jim Mulligan of the city’s Police Department said in a statement. Police officers were called to the nightclub, Club Blu, in a palm-tree-lined strip mall just south of City Hall, about 12:30 a.m. Monday. They arrived to find “several victims suffering from gunshot wounds” in the club’s parking lot, Capt. Jim Mulligan of the city’s Police Department said in a statement.
At “this time, the scene is still very active as investigators and crime scene personnel attempt to determine what had occurred,” Captain Mulligan said. “The Police Department is attempting to determine a motive for this incident.” The police said three people had been taken into custody and were being questioned.
The authorities were searching two other sites in the city — one on Parkway Street, where a home and several vehicles were shot at, with one person injured, and another on Ortiz Avenue, where three people were detained for questioning. Jermaine Wilson, a witness to the aftermath of the shooting, said the parking lot had been filled with cars and loud music as the teenagers were departing the club. Then he heard gunshots and saw a person lying on the ground, bleeding, he said.
“I saw everybody running,” said Mr. Wilson, 32, adding, “a bunch of people were screaming names.”
Captain Mulligan said the police were trying to determine a motive for the shooting.
“The scene is still very active as investigators and crime scene personnel attempt to determine what had occurred,” he said.
The authorities were searching two other sites in the city — one on Parkway Street, where a home and several vehicles were shot at, with one person injured, and another on Ortiz Avenue.
The Police Department, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, were “actively canvassing the area looking for other persons who may be involved in this incident,” Captain Mulligan said.The Police Department, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, were “actively canvassing the area looking for other persons who may be involved in this incident,” Captain Mulligan said.
Victims, ages 12 to 27, began arriving at Lee Memorial Hospital around 1:30 a.m., according to Cheryl Garn, a hospital spokeswoman.Victims, ages 12 to 27, began arriving at Lee Memorial Hospital around 1:30 a.m., according to Cheryl Garn, a hospital spokeswoman.
“Sixteen people were treated in the trauma center and emergency department,” she said in a statement. “One victim expired at the hospital.”“Sixteen people were treated in the trauma center and emergency department,” she said in a statement. “One victim expired at the hospital.”
Four remained at the hospital, one in critical condition, while the others were treated and released. Two additional patients were treated and released from other hospitals, officials said. The News-Press, a local newspaper, reported that one of the two victims killed was Stef’An Strawder, a high school senior and basketball player.
A flier promoting the party said Club Blu, located in a palm-tree filled strip mall called Carrell Corners, was hosting a Swimsuit Glow Party with live performances on Sunday evening, and that no identification cards would be required. Four victims remained at Lee Memorial, one in critical condition, while the others were treated at the hospital and released. Two additional patients were released from other hospitals, officials said.
In a Facebook post early Monday, club described the gathering as a party for young people. It said the shooting erupted only after the event had ended, as teenagers were leaving the club and parents were arriving to pick them up. A flier promoting the party said that Club Blu, in the Carrell Corners strip mall, was hosting a Swimsuit Glow Party with live performances on Sunday evening, and that no identification cards would be required.
“We are deeply sorry for all involved,” the club said. “We tried to give the teens what we thought was a safe place to have a good time.” A statement early Monday on the club’s Facebook page described the gathering as a party for young people. It said the shooting erupted only after the event had ended, as teenagers were leaving the club and parents were arriving to pick them up.
It added, “it was not kids at the party that did this despicable act.” “We are deeply sorry for all involved,” the statement said. “We tried to give the teens what we thought was a safe place to have a good time.”
As the sun rose in Fort Myers early Monday, the police were maintaining a half-mile perimeter they had set up around the nightclub. Yellow markers were placed next to dozens of shell casings scattered on the venue’s parking lot. It added, “It was not kids at the party that did this despicable act.”
State records show that the Florida authorities revoked Club Blu’s retail beverage license last month. It was not immediately clear why it faced official discipline.
As the sun rose in Fort Myers early Monday, the police were maintaining a half-mile perimeter around the nightclub. Yellow markers were placed next to dozens of shell casings scattered on the venue’s parking lot.
Local news outlets described a chaotic scene at the nightclub hours earlier.Local news outlets described a chaotic scene at the nightclub hours earlier.
One woman, Syreeta Gary, said that her daughter had dodged bullets, but that her daughter’s friend had been shot in the leg, as they fled the club. “I just thank God that my daughter is O.K. because she could’ve been shot,” she said in a video posted on Twitter by Malcolm Johnson, a reporter with FOX4, a news station in Fort Myers. “Her dodging bullets, running, dropping between cars, it’s ridiculous that these kids have to go through this. They can’t enjoy themselves because you have other people with criminalistic minds, and they just want to terrorize people.” One woman, Syreeta Gary, said that her daughter had dodged bullets, but that her daughter’s friend had been shot in the leg as they fled the club. “I just thank God that my daughter is O.K. because she could’ve been shot,” she said in a video posted on Twitter by Malcolm Johnson, a reporter with Fox 4, a news station in Fort Myers. “Her dodging bullets, running, dropping between cars, it’s ridiculous that these kids have to go through this. They can’t enjoy themselves because you have other people with criminalistic minds, and they just want to terrorize people.”
A resident of the neighborhood around Club Blu, Patrick Mulligan Jr., said early Monday that the area has been stalked by shootings and drug dealing. A resident of the neighborhood around Club Blu, Patrick Mulligan Jr., said early Monday that the area had been stalked by shootings and drug dealing.
The attack occurred just 43 days after a gunman killed 49 people and wounded more than 50 others at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla. The attacker, Omar Mateen, who took hostages at the nightclub and was killed in a police shootout, had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State.The attack occurred just 43 days after a gunman killed 49 people and wounded more than 50 others at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla. The attacker, Omar Mateen, who took hostages at the nightclub and was killed in a police shootout, had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State.
The June 12 massacre in Orlando, which the authorities described as the worst mass shooting by a single assailant in United States history, stunned the country and spurred moves in Congress for tighter gun control.The June 12 massacre in Orlando, which the authorities described as the worst mass shooting by a single assailant in United States history, stunned the country and spurred moves in Congress for tighter gun control.
Fort Myers, about 120 miles northwest of Miami, has about 65,000 residents. Historically, it has been a winter destination; Thomas Edison and Henry Ford had homes there. The Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox have spring training there.Fort Myers, about 120 miles northwest of Miami, has about 65,000 residents. Historically, it has been a winter destination; Thomas Edison and Henry Ford had homes there. The Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox have spring training there.