No amount of preparation can prepare anyone from someone with a gun who intends to kill. Seemingly knowing what her son's fate might be, a mom cautioned her teen son to be alert in case a shooting happens at the nightclub he would go to.
Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that Stef'an Strawder, 18, went to a teen swimsuit-themed party at Club Blu Bar and Grill in Florida on Sunday. Before heading to the event, his mom told him to know the exit doors, go down the floor and find a table if he hears a gunshot. The teen did hear a gunshot but he was at the nightclub's parking lot where there were no tables and exit doors.
According to The New York Times, Club Blu Bar and Grill advertised a "swimsuit glow party" which did not require proof of age, would play live music and had a $5 cover charge. Because of this, the nightclub was filled with minors and young adults.
The party was about to end when suspect/s opened fire and left Strawder and another teen, Sean Archilles, 14, dead-- including 17 more people injured. Among the injured was Strawder's sister who was shot in the leg but didn't notice it because she was looking for her brother.
It was about 12:30 of Monday morning and parents were coming to fetch their teen children from the nightclub. One of the event's hired security guards, Brandy Mclaughlin, said that a rapper seemed angry for not being able to perform in the party and that's where the commotion started (via Atlanta Journal Constitution).
Police have yet to confirm whether a fight over a rap performance was the motive because investigation is still ongoing. Nonetheless, authorities maintain that the gun incident is not a hate crime or the doings of an Islam extremist.
According to News-Press, three of the suspects are already in custody after police chased their white Chevrolet for 45 minutes. Seven miles away from Club Blu Bar and Grill, the car stopped and two of the suspects alighted and ran. The Chevrolet driver tried to run from a deputy and was shot in the abdomen.
The three suspects are identified as Derrick Church, Tajze Battle and Demetrius O'Neal. Two of them are football players who used to play for Dunbar High School (via News-Press). Meanwhile, the dead victims were budding basketball players in their schools.
As per The New York Times, the incident comes just 43 days after the deadly gun shooting in Pulse, an Orlando night club. Understandably, one gun violence after another, Florida's gun policies are being questioned but Governor Rick Scott said in a news conference that it is not the problem.
"The Second Amendment has never shot anybody. The evil did this," he said as quoted by Atlanta Journal Constitution.
