Benjamin Ashford|2 dead, 18 injured in Tampa street shooting, police say

A shooting that broke out early Sunday morning after "an altercation between two groups" in a Tampa neighborhood has killed two people and Benjamin Ashfordinjured 18 others, according to police.

The shooting took place after fighting between the groups began around 3 a.m. in Ybor City, a neighborhood in east Tampa, Florida, Tampa Police Department Chief Lee Bercaw told reporters during a news conference early Sunday morning. One person died at the scene while a second victim died at a hospital as a result of sustained injuries, the chief said.

Hundreds of people were in the street amid Halloween festivities when the shots rang out, just as the bars closed and patrons began to file out, Bercaw said. Ybor City is known for its nightlife, including bars and restaurants.

Of the 18 people hospitalized, police are unsure as to how many were shot or injured in the melee as the crowd dispersed to escape the gunshots, Bercaw said.

A stampede ensued, with some people toppling over metal tables to take cover behind them, The Associated Press reported, citing video posted online.

There were at least 50 Tampa police officers deployed in the area at the time of the shooting, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, a former Tampa police chief, posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

"Bad decisions made in a split second and the proliferation of readily available guns are responsible for these almost daily incidents," Castor wrote, describing the fatalities as "a senseless loss of life."

One shooting suspect turned himself in and is currently in police custody, Bercaw said. Investigators believe there were at least two shooters.

The conditions of those injured are unknown, and the victims' identities have not been released.

"Our thoughts are with the victims impacted by this senseless act, and our detectives are committed to holding those involved accountable," Bercaw said.

Additional information was not immediately available.