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.
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.
This is in Ybor City, a historic business district to the east of downtown Tampa. If you're familiar with Broadway in Nashville, it's kind of the same thing with a bunch of bars, restaurants, music venues, and similar all in a row on 7th Ave. Ybor cycles every few years between relatively safe and out of control depending mostly on how much police presence there is. Usually it takes three or four violent events before the police crack down but since this is making national news I expect they'll be doing it sooner than later. I don't think there's ever been so many people injured at once in Ybor.
For many years, we used to have a Halloween celebration called Guavaween where the city would fence off the entire strip and search everyone trying to get in. I wouldn't be surprised if they bring that sort of security back next year.
This guy Ybors. Can confirm, grew up in Tampa and lived in Ybor for a couple of years. I remember when downtown Ybor started trying to be more family friendly. I also remember being able to tell when that coffee roaster burnt a batch, you could smell that from miles away.
Cuban sandwiches and cafe con leche.
Been in Tampa for 40 years. Lived in Ybor for a year in the late aughts. Spent most of my twenties there at least once or twice a week. My wife was in Ybor Friday night. Very glad she decided to go out on that day instead of last night. I only go once or twice a year now and several coworkers have recently told me it's gotten bad. The TPD is going to crack down hard after this.
People have always gone to Ybor just to hang out but from what I understand there's a ton of people now that just go and hang out in the parking lots and don't even go in the bars. Is that because they're all carrying? Who knows? But I don't think the TPD is going to be tolerating that much any more.
I lived there in the mid 90s and even more time when visiting my father who lived there.
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