Gunfire erupted overnight at a nightclub in Orlando, leaving two people dead and several others injured, a spokeswoman for the Orlando Police Department said.
The shooting happened at about 1 a.m. at the Glitz Ultra Lounge, she said.
One person died at the scene, and another died after being transported to the hospital, Orlando police spokeswoman Michelle Guido said. Guido said as many as 10 people were hurt, including one person who was listed in critical condition. Guido said the other victims did not suffer life-threatening injuries. Not all of the people who were injured were shot. Guido said at least one person was hurt while trying to get out of the club.
There were as many as three shooters involved, she said.
Three Orlando police officers were at the club when the shooting happened, the spokeswoman said. They were hired by the club to provide extra security in addition to the club’s own private security.
“The club did everything it was supposed to,” Guido said. She added that club security checked people as they came into the building. Guido said police do not know yet how weapons got into the club. She said about 300 people were inside the building when shots were fired. No officers fired their weapons during the incident, and no officers were hurt in the shooting, Guido said.
Homicide detectives were on the scene Sunday morning. Police have not released any details about what led up to the shooting or whether any suspects had been identified.
A dancer for the nightclub spoke out about the shooting on Twitter. “Thank God we were running late. We were supposed to be on stage when it happened. So crazy,” Stephanie Tjada tweeted.
This isn’t the first time shots have been fired at the nightclub. CNN affiliate WESH reported two men were shot in the parking lot in October 2015. In June, a man was hurt when someone fired a gun outside the nightclub.
