SARASOTA – A night of fun night at the Sarasota County Fair ended with shots fired Saturday night.
“It was chaos, people were running and trampling over each other,” said Lisa Moore.
A chaotic scene erupted late Saturday night at the Sarasota County Fair – after reports of a shooting came in shortly after 10 p.m.
Sarasota Police wasn’t able to confirm how many shots were fired at this time, but in press release they say “preliminary info suggests 1 person pulled out a gun & shot another person.”
That victim was taken to Sarasota Memorial, the severity of their injuries or their condition have not been released by authorities.
“Well the first thing I heard was over the radio a guy saying, shots fired at Gate 8 repeated it like three or four times; and evacuate, evacuate shots fired,” said Moore.
Fair volunteers Moore and Alyssa Ponce were working the Gate 1 entrance when the chaos ensued. They describe the ordeal terrifying – running for their lives and seeking shelter just like countless of other fair goers uncertain of what was happening around them.
“And as we’re running over the radio we hear – that there was a body on the ground,” said Ponce.”
What happened next is still unclear. Ponce and Moore say after the first reports of a shooting both women say they heard what they believe could have been more shots fired.
“Then after 30 minutes or so the guy on the radio said we can come back to get our stuff, and as we’re going back we heard two more loud boom,” said Moore.
I arrived on scene shortly before hearing two loud booms myself, capturing the moment people and police officers darted across Fruitville Road.
Several people that were in attendance posting on social media similar stories to what Moore and Ponce experienced.
Detectives are responding to the area to continue their investigation. Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the Sarasota Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 941-263-607.
No word on if the fair will open on Sunday or remain closed.
