TAMPA, Fla. — A town hall forum on crime is happening Tuesday night in Ybor City in the wake of a shooting that left 16 injured and two dead.
The shooting occurred in the early morning hours of October 29 as hundreds of people were pouring out of clubs and restaurants.
What You Need To Know
- Tampa police hosting a Town Hall meeting on Tuesday to focus on crime and safety in Ybor City
- Town Hall scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Centro Asturiano de Tampa, located at 1913 N Nebraska Avenue
- Tampa Police are asking anyone with information to come forward
- See previous coverage on the Ybor City shooting
Residents and business owners were vocal after the shooting, but since then they say foot traffic has slowed and it could be the media attention over the shooting that is keeping people from coming back.
Spectrum News checked in with a half-dozen Ybor businesses this week and none wanted to talk on camera. More than half the businesses we spoke to weren’t even aware a town hall meeting on crime was happening and the other half said they likely wouldn’t be attending.
Tampa police said they are hosting the town hall to make sure people understand the shooting is not a reflection of the Ybor City community.
In a statement, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said: “Everyone has the right to feel safe and should feel safe in the places they visit, work, and live. By hosting this town hall, we hope that together we can not only address their concerns, but work toward ensuring that the Historic Ybor City District remains a safe place for all.”
This week, Ybor businesses are preparing for a busy holiday season. On Monday, businesses were decorating store fronts.
The Ybor City Chamber of Commerce said it was too busy to comment on the shooting because it was working to launch two events this week; one of them the Ybor City annual tree lighting, scheduled for Wednesday night.