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Times Staff WriterPolice suspect "long-standing disharmony" between two groups in North Greenwood caused the altercations.
CLEARWATER - A large fight and a shooting prompted about 20 police officers to respond to the area of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue N on Tuesday afternoon.
Police maintained an increased presence in the neighborhood Tuesday evening as other, smaller fights broke out.
"We are trying to take a proactive, high-profile approach to quell anything before it erupts," police spokesman Wayne Shelor said.
Shelor said the incidents appeared to be related to "long-standing disharmony" between two groups of people in the neighborhood.
Police arrested six people on charges ranging from disorderly conduct to resisting arrest after a brawl in the 1200 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue N about 1:30 p.m.
Shortly afterward, at nearby Cherry Harris Park, officers received a report that the occupants of two cars were shooting at each other.
No injuries or arrests were reported in connection with the shooting.
Shelor said one teen was injured after he was hit in the head with a bottle during the initial fight. The assailant left the area, Shelor said.
As officers responded and tried to treat the injured teen, a large fight broke out across the street, Shelor said. More officers were called in.
Though large crowds gathered to see what was happening, officers cleared the streets quickly and removed the troublemakers, Shelor said.
"They came in and restored order and moved out," he said.
Shelor said officers are unsure whether the shooting at the park was related to the initial fight.