DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Three people were hospitalized Monday night after a man who was with a former disgruntled employee opened fire in the parking lot of a Daytona Beach restaurant, police said.
The shooting happened at The Crab Stop late Monday night on W. International Speedway Boulevard. Authorities said there were between 20 and 30 people in the parking lot at the time.
According to police, the incident began when the ex-employee arrived at the restaurant to confront the owner, Oliver Ross. Authorities said two men showed up with guns, shortly after the confrontation began between Ross and the employee.
That's when one of the men opened fire in the parking lot. Ross returned fire, but was shot twice, and another employee, Cory Ford, was also shot.
Dispatcher: “911, where is your emergency?
Caller: “They got a shootout going on at the Crab Stop on International Speedway in Daytona.”
Calls to 911 recorded some of the gunfire.
"This is a result of an employee that was being terminated. There was some type of argument out in the parking lot, and from there, there was gunshots that were fired,” said Jimmie Flynt of the Daytona Beach Police Department.
A third person, an elderly man, was passing by when he was hit by a stray bullet, police said.
"There was a 72-year-old gentleman that was just passing by in his car, and I think he was struck in the leg, and by the grace of God that no one was killed last night,” said Flynt.
Two of the victims were still at the restaurant when police arrived, while a third victim called 911 to say he’d been shot in the leg and was on his way to Halifax Hospital, investigators said.
"Very scary, and it's not a place that things like this happen. (We) never had an incident like that and so it worries you, but at the same time, I'm not afraid because I feel safe," the victim’s friend, Kenya Ford, said.
Friends of Ross said they were shocked to hear a shooting happened.
City Commissioner Paula Reed said Ross was always giving back to the community.
“They told me that Oliver Ross had been shot, and I was like ‘Oh my God,’ because when you know someone it just really hits you to heart,” said Reed.
None of the injuries are life-threatening, police said.
Anyone with information on the shooting or shooter is asked to call the Daytona Beach Police Department at 386-671-5100.