10 people are shot amid fight at a Florida party venue; teen is arrested
SANFORD, Fla. — A teenage gunman wounded 10 people when he opened fire early Sunday after fighting broke out during a private event at a Florida party venue, authorities said.
A security guard tackled and disarmed the shooter almost immediately, and a second guard handcuffed him until sheriff’s deputies arrived, according to an arrest report from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
None of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries, the sheriff’s office said in a statement. It said 10 people were treated at a local hospital for gunshot wounds, primarily below their waists.
Kylie Ossege was shot and temporarily paralyzed when an armed classmate attacked Oxford High School in Michigan in 2021.
Sunday’s mass shooting underscored the problem of gun violence in America and was the latest example of how law enforcement officials nationwide face increasing difficulty curbing violence as juveniles find easy access to firearms.
A 16-year-old suspect was arrested Sunday in the Florida case and taken to a juvenile detention center. He was charged with attempted homicide, firing a weapon in a public place, using a firearm during a felony and illegal possession of a firearm by a minor.
The shooting occurred during a crowded, late-night event at Cabana Live in Sanford, about 20 miles north of Orlando. The Cabana Live website says it’s a restaurant that hosts pool parties and other events.
Police in Tennessee say eight people were shot, including two men who died, at a block party in a Memphis city park.
Witnesses told law enforcement the shooting started after a fistfight broke out. Someone who wasn’t involved in the melee drew a handgun and began firing toward a crowd, the arrest report said. A security guard standing near the gunman wrestled him to the ground and disarmed him.
Two deputies who were assisting private security at the venue arrived soon after and arrested the teenager. The arrest report said they recovered a 9mm handgun and spent shell casings that matched the bullets in the gun’s magazine.
A post on the Facebook page for Cabana Live said it was holding a private event when the shootings occurred, and all of its employees were safe.
“We are cooperating with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office and praying for all those involved,” the post said.
A woman who answered the phone at the venue Sunday afternoon said there was no further comment.
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