Another shooting
at a Florida nightclub leaves two dead — a 14-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man. Officials are trying to determine a motive in the Fort Myers incident that happened Monday.
Officials pledged to bring justice after a shooting killed two — a 14-year-old boy and 18-year-old man — and injured at least 15 others outside a Fort Myers nightclub early Monday.
Detectives are questioning three people possibly connected to the incident and working to determine a possible motive.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi called the attack “truly heartbreaking” and said her office is offering to help the families of Sean Archilles, 14, and Stef ’an Strawder, 18, pay for funeral expenses. Those who were wounded can also seek help from Bondi’s office
Bondi, Gov. Rick Scott and others joined the city’s mayor for the briefing about the attack, which doesn’t appear to be terrorism-related.
“We’re here to offer counseling, lost wages and any services that we can do, any medical bills that aren’t covered, we’re here to help you and will continue to be,” Bondi said.
Scott promised the state would do everything it could to help the victims and hold those responsible accountable.
He also noted that the shooting happened as the state is seeing a 45-year low in the crime rate.
“This is what every mayor and council hopes never happens in their city,” Mayor Randall P. Henderson Jr. said at an afternoon news conference. None of the other victims’ names have been released.
Club Blu on Evans Avenue, a few miles south of the city’s downtown, was hosting a Swimsuit Glow Party for middle and high school students. The event had just wrapped up when the shooting started about 12:30 a.m. A spokeswoman for Lee Memorial Health System said 16 people ranging in age from 12 to 27 were brought to the hospital. One died shortly after arriving.
Three victims remain hospitalized: two in critical condition and one in fair condition.
All of the others were treated and released.
Police said detectives are looking to talk with a few of victims who were released before being interviewed.
“It is imperative that all persons who were involved with this incident, come forward so that this incident can be properly documented and statements obtained from all involved,” police said in a statement.
Club Blu posted on Facebook that the event — for ages 12 to 17 — had ended and teens were leaving when the shooting started.
The event was advertised as an “indoor beachglow party.”
A post made just before 7 a.m. on Club Blu’s Facebook page stated teens didn’t need ID “because it was a middle school/high school event. 12 year olds usually don’t have a student ID.”
That post was quickly deleted and replaced with one saying the club is “deeply sorry for all involved.”
“We tried to give the teens what we thought was a safe place to have a good time,” the new post reads. “… There was armed security as well as full security, inside and out.”