FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — Police in Florida mentioned eight individuals have been shot Monday throughout an MLK Jr. Day occasion, with one of many victims listed in crucial situation.
The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Workplace confirmed all of the victims within the early night capturing in Fort Pierce have been adults, WPBF-TV reported.
The capturing occurred at Ilous Ellis Park at 5:20 p.m. throughout an MLK Automotive Present and Household Enjoyable Day, which the sheriff’s workplace mentioned was attended by greater than 1,000 individuals, WPBF-TV reported.
“A number of individuals have been shot, it feels like from our preliminary investigation right here on scene there was a disagreement of some type between two events, and sadly, they selected to resolve that with weapons,” St. Lucie County Chief Deputy Brian Hester mentioned.
Police mentioned 4 individuals together with a toddler sustained non-life-threatening accidents throughout the ensuing confusion, the station reported.
“It was mass chaos, as you possibly can think about, when photographs rang out,” Hester mentioned. “There have been a thousand plus individuals right here on the occasion, and because the photographs rang out, individuals have been simply operating in all instructions.”
The sheriff’s workplace mentioned two deputies on the occasion responded instantly and aided victims, WPBF-TV reported.
Video obtained by the station confirmed individuals ducking, operating and hiding behind vehicles, together with a girl operating to security whereas holding a child.
“It’s actually unhappy in a celebration of somebody who represented peace and equality {that a} disagreement ends in a use of weapons and violence to resolve that disagreement, and that’s what’s actually unhappy to me about what occurred right here,” Hester mentioned. “After which so many harmless individuals who have been injured or harm and weren’t a part of the disagreement as nicely.”