Two killed, 17 injured in Florida nightclub shooting rampage

At least two people were killed and 17 others injured today in a shooting rampage at a night club in Florida hosting a teen swimsuit party, just six weeks after a gunman massacred 49 people in the state in the worst mass shooting incident in US history.
Fort Myers police are questioning three people possibly connected to the shooting which occurred around 12-30 am in the parking lot of Club Blu Bar and Grill in Fort Myers, Florida.
Their identities have not been released. Police also have not released any of the victims' names.
Three people remained hospitalised, Cherly Garn, a spokeswoman for Lee Memorial Health System, said. All others were treated and released. Ages of the patients ranged from 12 to 27, Garn said.

The attack apparently occurred at a teen party billed as a "Swimsuit Glow Party". Club Blu posted on Facebook that the event - for ages 12 to 17 - had ended and teens were leaving when the shooting happened.
"We are deeply sorry for all involved. We tried to give the teens what we thought was a safe place to have a good time," the club said.

"It was not kids at the party that did this despicable act," it said.
Police said officers responded to reports of a shooting in the club's parking lot to find several victims with injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening, police said.

Emergency medical crews took the injured to local hospitals, where police found more victims, who had arrived on their own.
Detectives were trying to determine the exact number of victims and said it appeared between 14 and 16 people were injured.
Two others were killed, local station WINK-TV reported, quoting police as saying.
According to witnesses the moments outside the club was like a "mad house".
One woman who lives two blocks from Club Blu said she heard multiple gunshots.
People were crying and screaming, she wrote on her Facebook Page, adding that many were being carried on ambulances to area hospitals.

Florida Governor Rick Scott released a statement saying he plans to meet today with officials in Fort Myers.
"While we are still learning the details about what happened this morning, we know that some of the victims of this terrible incident were children. We will continue to pray for the victims and their families," the statement said.
"The Indian Consulate in Houston is in close contact with
the family of the deceased -- Mr Srinivas Kuchibhotla. In their hour of grief, we are providing all help and assistance to the bereaved family. Arrangements are being made to transport his mortal remains to India," Mathur said.

Government officials have also met with the injured victim -- Alok Madasani -- and are ensuring his well-being.
In New Delhi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj expressed shock over the incident and said two Indian consulate officials from Houston have been rushed to Kansas to render all possible assistance.
"I am shocked at the shooting incident in Kansas in which Srinivas Kuchibhotla has been killed. My heartfelt condolences to bereaved family," she tweeted.
"I have spoken to Indian Ambassador in US Navtej Sarna. He informed me that two Indian Embassy officials have rushed to Kansas," she said.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said Kuchibhotla and Madasani hailed from Hyderabad and Warangal.

"Houston Deputy Consul R D Joshi and Vice Consul Harpal Singh will meet the injured and facilitate in bringing the mortal remains of the deceased and will be in touch with local police officials to ascertain more details of the incident and monitor follow up action," Swarup said.
They will also meet the community members in Kansas, he said.
According to Garmin, Kuchibhotla and Madasani worked in the company's aviation systems.
"Unfortunately, two associates on our Aviation Systems Engineering team, Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani, were shot. We are devastated to inform you that Srinivas passed away and Alok is currently recovering in the hospital," Garmin said.

Kuchibhotla posted on LinkedIn in 2014 that he managed helicopter programmes. He had a master's degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso. He earned his bachelor's degree from the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Hyderabad.
A 2014 post on LinkedIn said Madasani was an aviation programme coordinator manager at Garmin.
The shooter, a navy veteran with inactive pilot license and air traffic controller certificate, told a bartender in Clinton, Missouri, where he was hiding after the shooting that he killed two Middle Eastern persons, local media reported.
He has been charged with premeditated first-degree murder and his bond has been set at USD 2 million.

According to Kansas City Star, the shooter worked as an air traffic controller in Olathe. He also worked at the Federal Aviation Administration, but left it in 2000.
Friends of Kuchibhotla have set up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds for sending his remains to India.
"Srini was the kindest person you would meet, full of love, care and compassion for everyone. He never uttered a word of hatred, a simple gossip, or a careless comment. He was brilliant, well mannered and simply an outstanding human being," the fund raising page said.
"His wife Sunayana and his family are now faced with incredible grief and a multitude of expenses," it said.