IBNS-CMEDIA: At least four people were killed and 11 others injured after a speeding vehicle crashed into a crowded bar in Tampa’s Ybor City early Saturday, police said.
The incident occurred on the 1500 block of East 7th Avenue, a district known for its bustling nightlife and tourism.
Three victims died at the scene, while a fourth succumbed to injuries at a local hospital.
One person remains in critical condition, and eight others are receiving treatment but are listed as stable.
Two additional victims with minor injuries declined medical treatment on site.
All 15 victims are adults. Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw described the incident as a “senseless tragedy” and condemned the driver’s reckless behaviour.
“Our hearts are with the loved ones of the victims and all those impacted. Reckless driving put innocent lives in danger,” he said.
Police said the driver, later identified as 22-year-old Silas Sampson, had been observed driving recklessly on I-275 at around 12:40 a.m.
The Tampa Police Department’s Air Service tracked the vehicle as it exited the interstate at Doyle Carlton Drive.
The vehicle had also been seen street racing on Hillsborough Avenue near 22nd Street. As officers followed the vehicle near Palm Avenue and Nebraska Avenue, the Florida Highway Patrol attempted a PIT maneuver, which was unsuccessful.
The driver continued at high speed onto 7th Avenue, where he lost control and crashed into the bar, striking more than a dozen people outside. Sampson was detained at the scene. Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
