1 dead and 1 injured after Ybor City fight

Police have no suspect after a Clearwater man, who had gone to see a rap group, is fatally shot.

By AMY HERDY and LORRI HELFAND

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 26, 2000

TAMPA -- An early morning brawl between two men at an Ybor city nightclub Friday spilled into the street and turned deadly when a third man opened fire, police said.

Jerry Joseph Stewart, 27, of Clearwater, was fatally wounded and Joel Diaz Martinez, 27, of Tampa, seriously wounded during the incident outside Turbulence, a recently opened club at 1910 E 7th Avenue.

"The two men were fighting inside the club, and continued the fight out front," said police spokesman Joe Durkin. "At that point, an unknown suspect walked up and fired several shots at both men" before fleeing.

The two men were taken to Tampa General Hospital, where Stewart later died. Hospital officials listed Martinez in fair condition.

Durkin said it is not clear whether the shooter knew the men or was involved in the fight, which began shortly before 3 a.m.

Stewart is the second person fatally injured at almost the identical spot during a fight in Ybor City this year. Jeremiah Kleiss, 22, an airman on 10-day leave from his post at Charleston (S.C.) Air Force Base, was stabbed to death in March. Michael Shane Fuqua of 17610 Grove View Drive in Lutz was charged with second-degree murder.

Investigators said they hope to obtain a description of the gunman from a videotape taken froma surveillance camera pointed directly at the scene of the shooting.

State records show the liquor license for Turbulence is held by Creative Clubs, a corporation that lists Jay Lalwani as its only officer and registered agent.

Lalwani is the former owner of Patrick's Beach Club, a nightclub at 2253 Bearss Ave. that closed recently after it was targeted by Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies. Incidents at Patrick's included a fatal stabbing in the club's parking lot in 1998 and a stabbing in May that led to a car chase that seriously injured a pedestrian.

Lalwani could not be reached for comment.

Friday morning's fight was not typical behavior for Stewart, described as "a decent person" by his companion of three years, 24-year-old Lakina Scott.

Stewart was "not a troublemaker," she said. "He definitely didn't deserve it."

The couple have a 10-month-old daughter, and she said he has two young boys from a previous relationship.

Scott's brother, Ricshardo Scott, said Stewart was a good father.

"He was like a brother," Scott said. "He taught me how to lead my life. He kept me straight."

Scott left a message with his sister Thursday night for Stewart to come over and watch a ballgame. But, Scott said, his sister forgot to give him the message, and he went to Ybor to see a rap group.

Stewart's former landlord, Stan Urbanik, praised his kind demeanor. "He was a real nice fellow and a hard worker. I got along real well with him."

Stewart worked at AFS Powder Coating, an industrial paint shop in Safety Harbor. Owner Tony Caruso said Stewart will be hard to replace. "He was actually a very good employee. Very good at his job." Caruso said Stewart was easygoing and never complained about the job. "There was not a mean bone in his body," he said.

"You always hear about stuff like this and read it," he said, "What's the deal with Ybor City? Is that place turning into a killing ground?"

Early Friday, 20-year-old college student Brandy Ingley was dancing at Masquerade with friends four blocks down the street from Turbulence when the shooting occurred.

Still, Ingley does not consider Ybor a dangerous place. "It's very safe as long as you park close to 7th, keep your friends close to you, and don't start fights," she said.

"I come with an entourage of about 15 people, so I never worry about anything."

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