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4 teens shot outside club

After a fight broke out at the St. Petersburg youth nightspot, someone in a car fired at a crowd, authorities say.

By JAMIE THOMPSON
Published January 15, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG - An unknown gunman shot four youths after a fight outside a teen nightclub late Friday, police said.

The teens were treated and released from Bayfront Medical Center with injuries that weren't life-threatening, said St. Petersburg police Detective Gary Gibson. He declined to name the victims because they are juveniles.

The shooting occurred about 10:35 p.m. outside Club Exclusive at 4834 18th Ave. S. Apparently a fight erupted, then a gunman climbed into a car and fired a gun at a large crowd as the vehicle sped away, Gibson said. Four teens were hit.

"Any time someone gets shot, it's serious, but as far as gunshot injuries go, these were minor," Gibson said.

Next to the club, Consuelo Mackey was cutting hair at her beauty salon when she heard the gunfire.

"We heard all this commotion, yelling and screaming, and I saw all my customers look toward the window," said Mackey, 29.

She and four customers leaped from their chairs and raced to the back to hide. "It scared me, and it scared my customers," she said.

It wasn't the first violence outside the club.

In April, more than a dozen police officers were summoned after 15 to 20 people began fighting. Officers used pepper spray as a crowd of about 400 watched. No one was injured, but police returned later that evening after hearing reports of shots fired. When they returned, officers said several people cursed at them and made "race-based threats."

Unruly crowds outside the club, located in a yellow brick building with two hair salons and a children's day care, are bad for business, Mackey said.

"I don't want to make any trouble for my neighbor, but I'm trying to make a living here," she said. "I pray it doesn't mess my business up."

In April, state records showed that Tabatha Nicole Crosby and Kathy L. Dobson were partners in the business, which opened about a year ago. Detective Gibson said he believed Dobson was still an owner, but was not certain, as he had not yet spoken with her on Saturday afternoon. Neither woman could be reached.

"I don't know that the club is a trouble spot, but it appears there are incidents as the crowd goes to leave," Gibson said. "There are definitely some brawls going on."

No one had been arrested for the shooting by late Saturday.

Police asked anyone with information to call (727) 893-7780.

Jamie Thompson can be reached at 727 893-8455. Send e-mail to jthompson@sptimes.com

[Last modified January 15, 2006, 01:46:05]