YBOR CITY, Fla. — There are a lot of ideas swirling in Ybor City after four people were killed and 13 injured early Saturday when a car crashed into a bar.
Police say Silas Sampson, 22, was speeding before hitting multiple people at Bradley’s on 7th.
Some business owners on 7th Avenue, where the incident occurred, say they wouldn’t mind seeing the street closed off during busy hours like weekend nights — or even permanently.
The location is a major tourist draw and sees big crowds convening on the weekends. On Monday, a memorial was set up outside Bradley’s honoring the victims.
The victims were identified Monday as: Marlon Anthony Collins, 54, of Bartow; Sherman Jones, 53, of Tampa; Lisa Sherell Johnson, 41, of Winter Haven; and Christina Maria Richards, 25.
City leaders say they are exploring all options to see what fits best to keep people safe.
“Everybody around here is just completely devastated,” said James Langer, who owns Blue Devil Tattoo on 7th Avenue.
He said he is open to the idea of possibly shutting down the road during busy hours.
Flowers and candles lay outside Bradley’s on 7th as a memorial to the victims from Saturday morning’s crash. (Spectrum News)
“I would like it (closed) Friday and Saturday nights,” he said.
Mayor Jane Castor, speaking at a news conference Monday morning, said closing the road has been discussed in the past but that studies have shown closing the road would not be safe.
“All of the data tells us that it’s safer to have 7th Avenue open because it prevents the congregation of individuals that are coming with no intent to patronize the establishments, restaurants or other entertainment venues,” she said.
Castor says Ybor City is safe, and that there is a large police presence and security cameras.
“We have facial recognition, we have license plate readers,” she said. “We just signed a contract for drone deployment that we’re going to pilot in this area.”
Tampa City Council member Louis Viera said the council will explore all options.
“We are going to be talking to the community and the appropriate professionals on additional steps that we can to make sure that something like this doesn’t ever happen again, and so that we can take further steps to protect folks on 7th Avenue,” Viera said.
Some business owners say that the city used to shut down a portion of 7th Avenue and that it brought people in to their businesses.
Sampson made his first appearance in court on Sunday. State prosecutors filed a motion to keep him behind bars until a trial. A pretrial hearing is set for Thursday.
He faces charges of vehicular homicide and aggravated fleeing to elude law enforcement.