Following an extensive search and investigation, the Tampa Police Department has arrested two men linked to a deadly shooting outside a Tampa nightclub.
With the help of the U.S. Marshal's Office Fugitive Task Force, Josue Clavel, 22, and Damaso Bravo, 32, were located and apprehended on Monday, October 24, 2022, hiding at a hotel in Brownsville, Texas, along with their girlfriends. The group had $20,000 in cash on them at the time of the arrest.
In the early morning hours of October 9, 2022, Clavel and Bravo were involved in a physical altercation with a group of individuals inside the LIT Cigar and Martini Lounge located at 908 N Franklin St. Once outside the nightclub, a gun was retrieved from a nearby vehicle, and Clavel and Bravo fired multiple shots, striking seven people and killing one victim, a 30-year-old man visiting the area from California for a wedding.
"I cannot stress enough how members of the Tampa Police Department have worked tirelessly around the clock to find those responsible and bring justice to these victims," said Chief Mary O'Connor.
Through the course of the investigation, Tampa Police detectives also identified Clavel and Bravo as members of the Latin Kings gang. An active investigation is ongoing as detectives work with authorities in Brownsville, Texas, to have the suspects extradited back to Tampa.
"As our downtown changes and evolves, we want the public to know that the safety and security of our visitors, residents and businesses remains a top priority, and our efforts and resources poured into this case are an example of that," said Chief Mary O'Connor. "We're continuing to collaborate with our city partners, from Code Enforcement to the Downtown Tampa Partnership, to identify issues or trends facing each area of the city, and through these extra eyes on the streets, we're able to identify problems faster and make potentially life-saving changes."