1 dead, 6 injured after shooting in downtown Tampa bar

TAMPA, Fla. — One person was killed and six people were injured after a shooting at a downtown bar in Tampa at closing time early Sunday, authorities said.

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According to a news release from the Tampa Police Department, the shooting occurred at the LIT Cigar & Martini Lounge shortly before 3 a.m. EDT. One man was found dead at the scene with an apparent gunshot wound, and four men and two women were injured, police said.

Police said the shooting occurred during a fight between two large groups of people inside the bar that spilled into the street, WFLA-TV reported.

“The parties were escorted outside, where the altercation escalated when at least one suspect went to a vehicle to retrieve a gun and fired multiple shots,” police said in its news release.

There have been no arrests so far, the Tampa Bay Times reported. The suspect is still at large, according to WFLA.

While the victims’ names have not been released, WTVT and WFLA reported that the man fatally shot was from California and had come to Tampa for a wedding.

“This is senseless violence. There’s no reason why anyone should lose their life over a fight at a bar,” Tampa police Chief Mary O’Connor said in a statement. “We are working diligently to follow up on leads and find those responsible.”

The shooting was the third in Tampa in less than a week, WFTS-TV reported. A family of five was targeted in a random attack on Wednesday, and a man was fatally shot on Friday, according to the television station.

An investigation is ongoing, police said.

“The suspects clearly have a disregard for human life,” O’Connor said. “They opened fire into a crowd of people that weren’t doing anything more than just celebrating out here on Franklin Street, so it’s a disturbing set of circumstances.”

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