Ybor City Council Discusses Imposing Nightclub Curfew After Fatal Shooting

After a deadly shooting in Ybor City, Tampa, councilwoman has requested for a temporary curfew.

The weekend before Halloween, Tampa crowds journeyed to Ybor City’s Seventh Avenue to celebrate the upcoming holiday at the bars and nightclubs. In the hours of the early morning, a fight between young people broke out on Seventh Avenue before it turned fatal.

On the Thursday following the shooting that left two dead and 16 injured, Ybor City Councilmember Gwendolyn Henderson proposed an ordinance. Henderson suggested all Ybor City businesses close at 1 a.m. instead of 3 a.m. Workers in the service industry were not pleased with this proposal.

At the beginning of the meeting, city attorneys announced that a curfew to close all Ybor City businesses earlier wouldn’t be legally possible due to some businesses having special hours due to permits. While only two people spoke in support of Henderson’s proposed curfew, workers who would be affected said that the curfew would “take away a major source of income for us.” While some voiced their concerns about the curfew, others approached the stand with solutions.

In the place of the curfew, others suggested that Tampa police increase patrols in the area and that bars and nightclubs should use more cameras and metal detectors. While these suggestions came pouring in, bar and nightclub owners said that the streetfight turned gunfight has nothing to do with how they run their businesses.

As the investigation into the shooting continues, Ybor City council does not believe it’s right to make a final decision. Once they have more information, they want to revisit the conversation. The investigation is still ongoing as Tampa police search for two more suspects.

After the shooting at Seventh Avenue in Ybor City, members of the community have become weary of their safety. Some suggest a curfew that would mainly affect bars, nightclubs, and other service industry workers, while others came up with solutions. As the investigation continues, Ybor City Council will revisit the conversation in December or January once details are confirmed.