5 shot at S. Fla. nightclub

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Police are investigating a shooting that injured five people at a South Florida nightclub early Friday morning.

The incident occurred around 5:45 a.m. at a nightclub in a strip mall near 19th Street and Northwest Ninth Avenue. According to Fort Lauderdale Police, some patrons were leaving the club when an argument ensued. Police said two different groups of people fired shots. "It appears that once they closed, there was a disturbance, or a fight, between two groups," said Fort Lauderdale Police Sergeant Frank Sousa. "Firearms were obviously taken out; multiple shots were fired."

One man witnessed the shootout. "There was an altercation, and the guy left and he said, 'Nobody wants to mess with me,' and then, five minutes later, gunshots from the back, from the side, everywhere," he said. "Some guy put a T-shirt over his shoulder and hit the other guy, and I heard 10, 12 gunshots. I ran about 200 yards to my car, and there was still gunshots going off."

Police said they have accounted for five victims. However, when they arrived on scene to conduct their investigation, none of the victims were present. Police said four of the victims drove themselves to local hospitals. "We got victims at Broward General Medical Center. We have victims at Plantation General and victims at Florida Medical Center. The injuries range from non life-threatening to life-threatening. We do have a person at Broward General that's in critical condition right now," said Sousa.

Officials said the man listed in critical condition, originally drove home, where according to his grandmother, she called 911. "Jerome didn't talk when he came in," said Margaret Fiddmon. "He was in the bathroom trying to wash the blood and stuff off of him. I called 911, and he just laid on the bathroom floor."

Police believe a driver of a Nissan Maxima was involved in the shooting. They tracked down the vehicle, matching the description on Interstate 95, near Interstate 595, and took the driver to Fort Lauderdale Police Headquarters, where he is being questioned. Authorities are looking for other subjects involved in the shooting.

If you have any information on this multiple shooting, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward.

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