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The outside of Club Rayne in Tampa, Fla. today. A shooting at the strip club early this morning left one person dead, seven injured. Police are investigating the motive for the shooting. (Andy Jones/The Tampa Tribune via AP)
TAMPA, Fla. » A shooting at a strip club early this morning in Tampa, Florida, left one person dead, seven injured and police searching for answers.
Hours later, Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay said it was offering a reward of up to $3,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person — or people — who fired the shots.
Tampa Police spokesman Stephen Hegarty said in a news release that the shots were fired at Club Rayne, located just north of the Tampa’s downtown, shortly after 2 a.m. The club with the bright purple exterior was described in online reviews by patrons as having “beautiful women and great music.”
Marvin Douglass Lancaster III, 21, of Brandon was killed in the shooting, according to Lt. John Preyer of the Tampa police.
The injured ranged in age from 17 to 32, and six were being treated at Tampa-area hospitals. Three were women. Hegarty said the injuries range from “minor to very serious” and all suffered from gunshot wounds.
The injured victims are Restaycia Carnegie, 20; Sheila McFadden, 17; Lancinet Stephens, 20; Equanzick Howell, 28; Jose Humphrey, 32; Christopher Houston, 20; and Mekyala Mann, 24.
It’s unknown how many people were inside the establishment at the time of the shooting. Video on social media from club-goers captured the shots and the ensuing chaos.
Officials said they were investigating the motive for the shooting.
Reached by phone at the club, owner Roberto Mederos declined to comment. It’s unclear when the club might reopen.
Appears there were some minors in the club, meaning underage females performing or Millennials expression of entertainment. Wondering if targeted by religious group for exposing the flesh? Whatever, a perplexing issue for the cops inasmuch as they never got involved in the shoot-out at the “Cub Rayne” corral?