Two killed in Florida nightclub shooting; 17 injured

Fort Myers (Florida), July 25: At least two persons were killed while 17 others, most of them teenagers, were injured when a shooter opened fire at a nightclub hosting a teen party in Fort Myers, Florida, authorities announced on Monday (July 25). [3 young men taken into custody]

According to the Fort Myers Police Department, gunshots were fired in the parking lot of Club Blu Bar and Grill past midnight around 12.30 am, NBC News reported.

The department said in a statement that "at least 14-16 people" were wounded in the shooting, with their injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening.

Both the victims were males, NBC News reported citing the statement.

Police did not disclose how many shots were fired, but at least 30 yellow evidence markers were placed placed around the front of the establishment, CNN reported.

Police have detained three people in relation to the incident.

A Facebook flier advertised a "Swimsuit Glow Party" at the club on Sunday night. The flier said that no identification would be required to enter.

The Fort Myers Police Department were also investigating two other related scenes, one on Ortiz Avenue, where one of the persons of interest has been detained. The other scene is on Parkway Street, CNN said.

Gunshots at the Parkway Street scene hit property and one person was grazed by a bullet, according to local media WINK.

Eyewitness Tatianna Nouhaioi, who was at the event when the shooting took place, referred to the atmosphere inside as "under control," with security guards present.

"It was a young teen event. There were kids. The kid I was holding in my lap, he was 14 years old that got shot," Nouhaioi told ABC News.

"And then there was a little girl who also got shot and she was 13. One of the security guard's daughter got shot, so I mean there were kids 13, 14, 15, 16. It was a young kids event."

Second mass shooting in Florida in just over a month

On June 12, 29-year-old security guard Omar Mateen killed 49 people and injured 53 others inside Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. [Read stories related to Orlando shooting]

The attack was considered a terror and a hate crime and shortly before the attack, Mateen swore allegiance the Islamic State.

IANS