Spilled Drink At Club Ends In Deadly Shooting
HOLLYWOOD (CBSMiami) – One man is dead, a second hospitalized, after a dispute at a popular club in Pembroke Pines ended in gunfire on a Hollywood Street.
Early Wednesday morning residents of the 5900 block of Mayo Street reported hearing gunshots.
"It sounded like an AK-47," said neighbor Connie Cooper, "A whole bunch of them going off."
When officers arrived, they found a bullet ridden car with three people inside. Police said the driver, identified as 24-year old Bryant Thomas, and a passenger, 25-year old Martin Ham, both had gunshot wounds. A woman, who was also in the car, was not injured.
Both of the injured men were taken to Memorial Regional Hospital where Thomas was pronounced dead. Ham was rushed into surgery and is listed as stable. When Thomas' brother Joseph heard what had happened, he was shocked.
"He was a loving brother who cared for all his kids," said Joseph Hampton. "He cared for everybody who knew him."
"He was a family guy with three kids who worked two jobs, he didn't bother nobody," said Thomas' mother Leslie Thomas.
According to police the trouble started at Cafe Iguana, about four miles away from where the car was found. At the club, Thomas had accidentally spilled a drink on someone. Even though he apologized, the situation escalated. According to police, when Thomas and his friends left the club they were followed by several vehicles whose occupants opened fire on them.
Ham's father said both his son and Thomas were good men who attended church together.
"It shouldn't have happened, it was wrong," said Hampton.
Police have not released a description of the gunmen.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Hollywood Police Department at (954) 967-4357.
