A street racer fleeing police loses control and plows into a popular LGBTQ nightclub in Tampa, Florida, killing four people and injuring at least 13 others.
Surveillance video from the club shows pedestrians running for safety as a silver Toyota Camry speeds through an intersection and into a crowd of about a dozen people outside the Bradley store on Wednesday.
The incident reportedly occurred around 12:45 a.m. Saturday, just 15 minutes before the drag performer was scheduled to take the stage. new york post.
Three people were pronounced dead at the scene, and the fourth later died at a local hospital. At least 13 other people were injured, two of them in critical condition. The two victims, who suffered minor injuries, refused medical treatment. All were over the age of 20, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercow said.
According to a news release from the Tampa Police Department, aviation units spotted the car, which had previously been racing on a city street on Hillsborough Avenue near 22nd Street, driving recklessly on Interstate 275. After Tampa police and Florida Highway Patrol troopers briefly pursued the vehicle, the driver lost control and crashed into Bradley’s car on the 7th. The driver was identified as 22-year-old Cyrus Sampson and was taken into custody at the scene.
Sampson is charged with four counts of vehicular homicide and four counts of aggravated fleeing with serious bodily injury or serious bodily injury or death, both first-degree felonies. He is being held without bond.
Police said that after Sampson was arrested, he made “voluntary statements” such as “I made a mistake,” “I asked him how many people he killed,” and “I want him to go to prison for a few months.” Officers also reported that Sampson appeared to be intoxicated and was exhibiting “signs of impairment,” including an odor of alcohol, slurred speech, and unsteadiness. According to WTVT, they are waiting for blood test results to confirm that.
“Our hearts are broken this morning following the devastating crash,” Bradley said in a statement posted on social media on Monday. The message is share by rupaul’s drag race Alum and Florida drag performer Miya Iman LePage also expressed her condolences to the victims.
“This tragedy strikes at the heart of Tampa’s LGBTQ+ community,” the nightclub continued. “Bradley’s on 7th is more than just a nightclub, it is a sanctuary for countless people across Tampa Bay, a space of celebration, love, and chosen family. For many years, it has stood as a cornerstone of our community’s resilience and joy. Today, we mourn with Bradley’s friends, the families of the victims, and everyone affected by this senseless act.”
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Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
