TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Police say a shooting outside a St. Petersburg restaurant left a man in critical condition on Tuesday night.
The shooting occurred outside Rush Hour Chicken & Waffles, which is at the Twin Brooks Commons shopping plaza on 2140 34th Street South. Police said people were arguing inside the restaurant and a fight spilled out into the parking lot.
A man was seen shooting into the crowd. The victim was hit in the stomach.
Yolanda Fernandez with the St. Petersburg Police Department says it’s unclear if the victim was the intended target.
“We don’t know and unfortunately, when you shoot into a crowd, the target isn’t always the one hit,” said Fernandez. “So at this point, we’re still trying to work out exactly what happened. And determine if we can identify who the gunman was.”
The man was taken to Bayfront Hospital, where he is listed in critical but stable condition.
No arrests have been made at this time.
James Kitchens is an artist at the Urban Art tattoo shop just a few doors down from the restaurant and bar. He calls the violence disappointing.
“I think we ought to put the guns down. There’s just too much violence,” said Kitchens. “It actually sends clients of ours to other areas to shop because of them thinking something might happen to them up here. So it’s not just a blow for the person who got shot, but a blow for the community and a blow for the people who want to see better.”