SANFORD, Fla. –
An armed teenager wounded 10 people when he opened fire early Sunday after a fight broke out during a private event at a party venue in Florida, authorities said.
A security guard tackled and disarmed the shooter almost immediately, and a second guard handcuffed him until sheriff’s deputies arrived, according to an arrest report from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
None of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries, the sheriff’s office said in a statement. Ten people were treated at a local hospital for gunshot wounds, mostly below the waist, he said.
Sunday’s mass shooting underscored the problem of gun violence in the United States and was the latest example of how law enforcement officials across the country are finding it increasingly difficult to curb violence as young people find it easier access to firearms.
A 16-year-old suspect was arrested in the Florida case on Sunday and taken to a juvenile detention center. He was charged with attempted murder, discharging a weapon in a public place, use of a firearm during a felony and unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor.
The shooting occurred during a crowded late-night event at Cabana Live in Sanford, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Orlando. The venue’s website says it is a restaurant that rents cabanas and hosts pool parties and other events.
Witnesses told authorities the shooting began after a fistfight broke out. Someone who was not involved in the melee pulled out a gun and began shooting into a crowd of people, according to the arrest report. A security guard who was near the gunman tackled him to the ground and disarmed him.
Two agents helping the private security of the place arrived shortly after and arrested the teenager. The arrest report said they also recovered a 9mm handgun and bullet casings that matched the bullets in the gun’s magazine.
A post on Cabana Live’s Facebook page said it was holding a private event when the shooting occurred and all of its employees were safe. A woman who answered the phone there Sunday afternoon said no one had any further comment.
“We are cooperating with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office and praying for everyone involved,” the social media post said.