Disturbing footage shows moment street racer slams into Florida gay bar, killing four
Disturbing footage has emerged showing the moment a street racer fleeing police crashed into a gay bar in Florida, killing four people and injuring others.
Police released footage they said showed 22-year-old Silas Sampson driving recklessly before entering Bradley’s bar in Tampa on Friday night.
The terrifying clip shows two cars racing at incredible speeds on a nearby highway.
The overhead images continued with both vehicles trying to pass each other as they approached dangerously fast.
One of the cars that police say Sampson was behind the wheel crashes because he completely lost control.
Terrified pedestrians are seen running for safety as a silver Toyota drives through an intersection and I bumped into more than a dozen people on the bar’s porch.
It was stated that three of the injured died at the scene, while another died later in the hospital to which he was taken.
Tampa police said at least 11 people were injured, including one in critical condition.
Terrified pedestrians can be seen running for safety as the silver Toyota crashes through an intersection and crashes into more than a dozen people on the bar’s patio.
Tampa police said Sampson was ‘traveling at a high rate of speed and lost control’ when he crashed into Bradley’s car.
Sampson was taken into police custody and charged with four counts of vehicular homicide and four counts of aggravated fleeing to avoid serious bodily injury or death, according to Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office records.
The 22-year-old seen here was taken into custody by police and charged with four counts of vehicular homicide.
He was being held at the Falkenburg Road Jail as of Saturday night.
“What happened this morning was a senseless tragedy, and our thoughts go out to the victims’ loved ones and those affected,” Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said at a news conference.
‘Reckless driving puts innocent lives at risk.’
Police first became aware of Sampson’s alleged poor driving when he began heading toward Interstate 275 around 12:40 a.m.
His car had been spotted street racing on Hillsborough Boulevard near 22nd Street by Tampa police’s aviation unit before hitting the freeway alone.
Sampson eventually entered downtown Tampa, where police attempted to stop the teenage driver with a PIT maneuver.
A PIT maneuver is when police tactically make contact with a car, forcing it to stop and turn.
However, Sampson eluded law enforcement’s attempt to dissuade him and proceeded toward 7th Street.
Police first noticed Sampson’s alleged poor driving around 12:40 a.m. when he began heading toward Interstate 275.
The front part of the car loaded onto the tow truck was destroyed
Tampa police said Sampson was “going at a high rate of speed and lost control” when he crashed into Bradley’s.
After the accident, bar owners said they were ‘heartbroken’. Bradley confirmed co-host Esme Russell was safe but ‘shaken’ by the experience.
“This tragedy has struck at the heart of the LGBTQ+ community in Tampa,” the bar said in a statement.
‘There’s more to Bradley’s 7th than a nightclub; A sanctuary, a place of celebration, love and chosen family for countless people in Tampa Bay.
‘Today we mourn with our friends at Bradley, the families of the victims and everyone affected by this senseless act.’
Nate Crosby was one of those injured in the accident and was taken to the hospital.
While in his hospital bed, he wrote on Facebook: ‘I am grateful that my wounds will heal with time.
‘I offer my deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their loved ones.’
