Officials: Terror not to blame in teen nightclub shooting

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Gunfire erupted at a nightclub hosting a swimsuitthemed party for teens in Florida, leaving two teens dead and at least 17 other people wounded, officials said yesterday.

It was not immediately clear what triggered the violence, but authorities said the shooting was not an act of terror. Police detained three people and were searching for others, interim police Chief Dennis Eads said.

The slain teens were 14-year-old Sean Archilles and 18-year-old Stef’an Strawder, police said.

Four people were in the hospital. Two were in critical condition and two in fair condition, said Lisa Sgarlata, the chief administrative officer at Lee Memorial Health System.

All of the other patients were treated and released. The victims ranged in ages from 12 to 27.

“It’s horrible when these things happen,” Florida Gov. Rick Scott said at an afternoon news conference. He noted that the state is currently seeing a 45-year low in the crime rate.

There were two active crime scenes — the club and a street in the area, which also remained closed as police investigated.

The club is in a strip mall that includes a daycare center and is across the street from a large apartment complex. The shooting happened about 12:30 a.m. yesterday, just as the club was closing and parents were arriving to pick up their children.

Club owner Cheryl Filardi, who said she was in the back room when the shots rang out, said at least 10 security guards were hired for the party — two in the parking lot, one or two at the door and the rest floating inside. She said the club has had four or five teen parties over the past half-dozen years, and this was the second one this summer.