Source: Ongoing Teen Fight Led To Miami Club Shooting
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - An ongoing fight between two high school teens led to Sunday's mass shooting at a Miami club in which 15 people were injured.
Sources told CBS4's Jim Defede that one person involved in the argument pulled out a gun and shot the other. He is in critical but stable condition and sources said he is from Norland High School.
Defede's sources said the shooter fled and jumped into a white car and someone else inside the car continued shooting. A young girl who ran into the street because of the shooting was hit by a car and injured.
Surveillance video taken near The Spot shows the chaos that ensued after gunfire erupted.
On that surveillance video, dozens of teens and young adults are seen running out of the club, at NW 7th Avenue and 64th Street, around 1 a.m. Sunday.
Paramedics treated patients on the sidewalk and street.
"Anytime you hear so many lives are at risk in my community it's always awe-striking," said Miami Commissioner Keon Hardemon.
"No one wants to see a bunch of kids running around like this," said Miami Police Sgt. and spokesman Freddie Cruz. "At any given moment we could have been planning 15 funerals."
Defede's sources said most of the youngsters were from Miami Gardens and Opa-locka. They told him while the club has a beer and wine license, liquor bottle were found behind the bar.
Police said The Spot is actually licensed as a restaurant.
"We had no clue it was operating as a club other than the fact that when we start researching we figure if it's a restaurant why are they a club" said Miami Police Chief Manuel Orosa.
Orosa added that The Spot wasn't able to handle the crowd or the incident.
"It's difficult when you have 100 people inside a supposed club, you only have four employees, one security guard, you're gonna get overwhelmed quickly. So part of that problem is the lack of personnel they had lack of screening for weapons and having kids and alcohol it's just a bad mix overall," said Orosa.
DeFede's source said there was only one security guard on duty. There was also a manager, a bartender and a DJ.
Miami Police have not confirmed whether the club was serving the teens alcohol, but a few hours after the incident a table was seen outside set up with a bottle of liquor and cups. CBS4 news Partner, The Miami Herald, also reported some of the club goers were drinking strawberry daiquiris.
Another concern: were the youngsters violating the county's Juvenile Curfew Ordinance. Orosa said they were not violating the curfew because they had their parents' permission to be at the club and if children arrive at an event before 10 p.m., they are not in violation of the curfew.
A total of 13 people were treated at Ryder Trauma Center, and the emergency rooms at Holtz Children's Hospital and Jackson Memorial Hospital. Of those 13, nine have been discharged and four remain hospitalized – a 15-year-old remains in critical condition, the other three are in good condition.
Orosa wants a thorough investigation to make sure The Spot is safe.
"If you are operating a club, make sure that you provide the safety for the patrons inside make sure nobody carries a gun inside make sure kids are not associated with alcohol while inside the place," said Orosa. "You can either have an adult club or a kid club but you can't have both it's just bad news."
Police say the club's owners are cooperating with their investigation, but CBS4 has been unable to reach them for comment and a phone number for the club is disconnected.
Watch Gaby Fleischman's Report
CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed to this report.
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