Two people have died and seven have been wounded following a shooting at a popular shopping mall in Florida.
A fight broke out at the Martini Bar located in the CityPlace Doral early on Saturday morning, according to Miami-Dade police. The altercation resulted in a security guard, who intervened in the dispute, being shot and killed by the gunman, who was then also killed in a subsequent gun battle with police, according to Alvaro Zabaleta, a Miami-Dade detective.
Six bystanders, including five men and one woman, were injured in the gunfight, as well as a police officer who was shot in the leg, Zabaleta said.
“Officers that were working at the commercial establishment at the time immediately responded, and there was an exchange of gunfire,” Zabaleta said during a news conference.
“Unfortunately, the security guard lost his life while he was performing his duties, and of course, our heart goes out to that family.”
The injured police officer, who applied his own tourniquet per CBS News, has since been released from hospital. Officers were already patrolling the area as part of a late-night security detail, according to police.
Locals said they were shocked by the violent event. “I thought it was fireworks,” William Suedois, who lives in an apartment near the nightclub, told WPLG.
“Then I heard probably 10 or 15 directly after that – very, very fast and very loud. It was very scary – very scary,” Suedois said. “And my apartment is pretty close to all the music – it was very loud. I felt it in my chest.”
“There were cops all over,” Rob Abner, a ride-share driver, told NBC6. “I’m here a lot, so it is kind of concerning. It touches you personally.”
The outlet also noted that this shooting comes a year after Doral police conducted an active shooter drill and mass casualty training in an effort to prepare their officers for this type of situation.
