4 dead, 13 injured after car plows into Florida LGBTQ bar during police chase

"Bercaw blamed the incident on a careless, reckless driver who was spotted by TPD Air Service speeding on Interstate 275, after earlier being seen street racing in a nearby neighborhood. Around 12:45 a.m., after Tampa police located the vehicle near Palm and Nebraska avenues, the Florida Highway Patrol initiated a pursuit. At that point, two FHP units attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled, Bercaw said."

"The driver of the vehicle, later identified as 22-year-old Silas Sampson, continued to speed down 7th Avenue just east of 15th Street, then lost control and crashed into a business, striking more than a dozen people who were outside, police said in a press release. The business, Bradley's on 7th, is a place that has long been a gathering spot in Tampa's Ybor City for the LGBTQ community, according to St. Pete Pride."

"Three victims died at the scene, and a fourth died at a hospital, police said, without releasing any names. Two people were hospitalized in critical condition Saturday, and another seven were being treated but listed as stable. Two others victims were admitted to the hospital but released by the afternoon, while another two suffered minor injuries and declined treatment at the scene. All 17 victims are adults."

A car plowed into a crowd outside Bradley's on 7th in Tampa's Ybor City shortly before 1 a.m., killing four people and injuring 13 others. The driver had been seen street racing in a nearby neighborhood and was later spotted speeding on Interstate 275; Tampa police located the vehicle near Palm and Nebraska avenues around 12:45 a.m., prompting the Florida Highway Patrol to initiate a pursuit. Two FHP units attempted a traffic stop and an attempted PIT maneuver failed. The driver, identified as 22-year-old Silas Sampson, lost control, crashed into the business, struck more than a dozen people outside, and was taken into custody. All 17 victims are adults; several were hospitalized, including two in critical condition.

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