People scurried for cover as shots rang out in downtown Orlando, Florida, on Monday.
A gun battle between at least two people took place along International Drive near the heart of Orlando’s tourist district, WFTV reported.
“Everyone runs to the kitchen and got down like this, and I heard five more shots,” said Isabella Birnardes, who works at a nearby bakery. Others told the station they heard at least a dozen shots at around 1 p.m.
At least one person was injured.
A witness said a police officer exchanged fire with gunmen in a white Chrysler sedan. A Channel 9 reporter saw the sedan about a mile away with at least one bullet hole visible.
WESH-TV reported that someone shot an employee of a tattoo shop. The employee returned fire, police said. The employee told police he had been shot at and the gunman fled in the Chrysler, according to News6.
A shooting victim—apparently the gunman who fired the first shot at the tattoo shop employee—was found in the area, but police said he did not want to press charges, according to local reports. At least one suspect was detained. Police are now waiting to execute a search warrant of the Chrysler.
“(It’s) scary because you don’t know, maybe it’s you, or your family. Never safe. I don’t feel safe here,” added Birnardes.
In a separate incident, police on Sunday said that three people were shot outside a club in downtown Orlando. The shooting took place after a fistfight broke out between two women after closing time at 2 a.m., the Orlando Sentinel reported. Witnesses told the paper that dozens of people started running from the club when the shots were fired.
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